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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 120 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: bat · bank · wind · arm · snap · swing · stand · racket

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bank — for money
  3. swing — in golf
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bank — of a river
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. stand — to bear
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bank — for money
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. swing — music
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. wind — moving air
  19. snap — to click
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bat — in an idiom

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