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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wound — an injury
  3. swing — music
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bank — for money
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. spring — the season
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rush — hurry
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — of water

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