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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 120 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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bank — for money
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. plane — a tool
  6. wax — to grow
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. swing — to play on
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bank — of a river
  11. club — a group
  12. swing — music
  13. club — for dancing
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mine — for digging
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bank — for money
  24. club — for golf

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