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

Word bank: root · bank · rule · craft · cell · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. rule — a law
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. rule — government
  5. swing — music
  6. cell — a phone
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. craft — boats
  10. bank — for money
  11. swing — to play on
  12. cell — in biology
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — of a plant
  18. craft — a skill

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