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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. row — to paddle
  3. press — to push
  4. row — a line
  5. band — a ring
  6. swing — to play on
  7. cue — for pool
  8. swing — in golf
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bank — for money
  11. band — a music group
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. cue — a hint
  15. press — newspapers
  16. mate — to breed
  17. current — electric
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. cue — a signal
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bank — for money
  23. press — a publisher
  24. swing — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com