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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: mate · bank · fall · craft · swing · rule

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bank — for money
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — to breed
  5. rule — a law
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bank — for money
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. swing — to play on
  11. craft — boats
  12. bank — of a river
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rule — government
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. fall — the season
  17. swing — in golf
  18. mate — a friend

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