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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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Word bank
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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: roll · fork · bank · chair · cell · swing

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bank — for money
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. roll — a list
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fork — in a road
  9. cell — a phone
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. swing — to play on
  14. roll — a cake
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. cell — in biology
  17. bank — for money
  18. chair — a leader

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