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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: bay · rock · charge · bank · sharp · swing · race · prune

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. race — a contest
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — music
  7. prune — to trim
  8. race — humankind
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bank — for money
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. prune — to trim
  15. charge — a price
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bank — for money
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bank — of a river
  22. charge — in control
  23. swing — to play on
  24. rock — 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