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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bank — of a river
  3. swing — music
  4. saw — the tool
  5. field — for sport
  6. band — a music group
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. net — in sport
  9. suit — clothes
  10. net — for catching
  11. saw — the tool
  12. swing — in golf
  13. net — after costs
  14. field — farmland
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bank — for money
  17. band — a ring
  18. field — a subject
  19. bank — for money
  20. suit — to fit
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. suit — in cards
  24. swing — to play on

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