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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: squash · temple · swing · file · bank · fan

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  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. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a document
  4. bank — of a river
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bank — for money
  8. squash — the sport
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bank — for money
  15. swing — music
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. fan — a supporter
  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