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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: bowl · row · fall · foot · club · bank · bay · swing

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. swing — music
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. swing — in golf
  10. row — a line
  11. fall — the season
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bank — of a river
  16. club — for dancing
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bank — for money
  20. club — for golf
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bank — for money
  23. club — a group
  24. bowl — a dish

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