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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: bank · bound · pound · swing · plane · rule

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. rule — government
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bank — for money
  7. rule — a law
  8. swing — music
  9. bank — for money
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bound — obliged
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bank — of a river
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry

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