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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. swing — music
  3. staff — employees
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. march — music
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. march — the month
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bank — for money
  11. face — part of the head
  12. march — the month
  13. face — to confront
  14. cue — a signal
  15. row — a line
  16. staff — a stick
  17. cue — a hint
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. swing — to play on
  20. staff — employees
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. face — to point toward
  24. swing — in golf

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