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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: bowl · toast · pound · rest · swing · bank

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. swing — music
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rest — a break
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bank — for money
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. swing — to play on
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bank — for money
  16. toast — bread
  17. pound — for dogs
  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