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

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bank — for money
  3. net — for catching
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. track — a song
  7. spell — magic
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bank — for money
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. track — a path
  13. net — after costs
  14. mug — to rob
  15. spell — a short time
  16. swing — to play on
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bank — of a river
  19. net — in sport
  20. mug — a face
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — in golf
  23. rush — hurry
  24. spell — letters

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