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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bank — of a river
  3. club — for dancing
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. snap — to click
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. club — for golf
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. firm — steady
  10. kick — in football
  11. bank — for money
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. firm — decided
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bank — for money
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. sharp — clever
  20. stand — to bear
  21. firm — a company
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. wake — a trail

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