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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bound — obliged
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. game — a match
  13. bank — for money
  14. club — a group
  15. season — in sport
  16. club — for dancing
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. season — of the year
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bound — certain
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — wild animals
  23. club — for golf
  24. season — to add flavour

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