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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bank — of a river
  4. swing — to play on
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. net — for catching
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. court — of law
  11. net — after costs
  12. swing — in golf
  13. court — for sport
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. net — in sport
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. bank — for money
  20. court — of a king
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bank — for money
  24. dip — to dunk

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