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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. ball — a great time
  3. season — in sport
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bank — for money
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — in cards
  11. club — a group
  12. hand — help
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rock — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bank — for money
  18. club — for golf
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bear — the animal
  21. club — for dancing
  22. swing — music
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. season — of the year

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