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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bass — the fish
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — in golf
  8. net — for catching
  9. bank — for money
  10. hand — help
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. hand — in cards
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. swing — music
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cell — in biology
  19. can — a tin
  20. bank — for money
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bass — low music
  24. plane — an aircraft

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