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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. swing — in golf
  6. current — electric
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — in sport
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. current — happening now
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. swing — to play on
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. bank — for money
  20. current — of water
  21. stem — to come from
  22. swing — music
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. net — for catching

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