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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 116 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: net · swing · bank · sharp · mug · prune

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. mug — to rob
  4. net — after costs
  5. mug — a face
  6. bank — for money
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. net — for catching
  10. prune — to trim
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — music
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. mug — a cup
  18. net — in sport

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