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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: bank · ball · race · swing · trunk · cabinet

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. swing — in golf
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. race — the arms race
  6. swing — music
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bank — for money
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bank — of a river
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. race — a contest
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. swing — to play on
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bank — for money
  17. race — humankind
  18. trunk — of a car

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