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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. swing — to play on
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. court — of a king
  5. firm — decided
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. court — of law
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cap — a lid
  15. swing — music
  16. firm — a company
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cap — a hat
  19. firm — steady
  20. swing — in golf
  21. game — a match
  22. game — wild animals
  23. cap — of ice
  24. court — for sport

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