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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: bear · kid · bank · stand · nail · object · swing · mug

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. swing — to play on
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. object — to protest
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. object — a thing
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bank — for money
  9. mug — a face
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. kid — to tease
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bank — for money
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bank — of a river
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mug — a cup
  21. object — an aim
  22. mug — to rob
  23. kid — child
  24. swing — music

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