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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 · racket · roll

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

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

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