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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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Word bank
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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: mug · pitch · object · swing · row · bank · mine · kid

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. swing — music
  3. row — a line
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bank — for money
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bank — for money
  9. swing — to play on
  10. object — to protest
  11. row — to paddle
  12. object — an aim
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. mine — for digging
  15. object — a thing
  16. mug — to rob
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. kid — child
  19. mug — a face
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mug — a cup
  24. kid — to tease

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