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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: bank · ruler · rest · pop · swing · trunk

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  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. pop — music
  2. swing — music
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. pop — soda
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rest — what's left
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. swing — to play on
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. pop — to visit
  17. ruler — for measuring
  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