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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bank — for money
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. mug — a cup
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mug — a face
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mug — to rob
  15. game — a match
  16. rock — music
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bank — for money
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bank — of a river
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. swing — music
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. pitcher — a jug

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