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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. swing — music
  3. pound — a weight
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bank — for money
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. present — the time now
  8. dip — to sink
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. mate — a partner
  11. present — there
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bank — for money
  14. tube — the underground
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. swing — in golf
  17. mate — a friend
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. tube — a container
  21. bank — of a river
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. present — a gift
  24. vault — a safe

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