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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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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: content · ruler · calf · swing · bear · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. content — happy
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bank — of a river
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. content — the amount
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bank — for money
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. swing — 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