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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 · fine · pop · chest · swing · ruler

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. chest — a box
  3. swing — music
  4. pop — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fine — all right
  7. chest — of your body
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. pop — soda
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pop — to visit
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. chest — of your body
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — in golf

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