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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. band — a music group
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — a group
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bank — for money
  7. club — for dancing
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. band — a ring
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pitch — completely
  14. rule — a law
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bank — for money
  17. swing — to play on
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rule — government
  21. pit — in a race
  22. swing — music
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. bore — to drill

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