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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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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: wind · present · saw · bass · bank · ruler

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. wind — moving air
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bank — of a river
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — low music
  10. present — there
  11. bank — for money
  12. saw — the tool
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bank — for money
  16. present — a gift
  17. bass — the fish
  18. saw — the tool

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