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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pop — music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. pop — to visit
  6. firm — steady
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. firm — decided
  11. track — a song
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. pop — soda
  14. swing — to play on
  15. kid — child
  16. craft — boats
  17. firm — a company
  18. swing — music
  19. track — to keep track
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bank — of a river
  22. track — a path
  23. scale — in music
  24. craft — a skill

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