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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bank — for money
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. suit — in cards
  9. object — an aim
  10. bank — of a river
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. object — a thing
  16. bank — for money
  17. swing — music
  18. hand — in cards
  19. swing — to play on
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. swing — in golf
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. object — to protest

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