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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 124 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: swing · stand · clip · firm · stick · bank

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. clip — for paper
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bank — of a river
  6. clip — a video
  7. bank — for money
  8. firm — decided
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. swing — music
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bank — for money
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stand — to bear
  18. clip — to cut

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