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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: cue · snap · bank · racket · bark · swing

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — music
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bark — to shout
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bank — for money
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bank — for money
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bank — of a river
  15. cue — a hint
  16. snap — to click
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bark — a dog's sound

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