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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: swing · cue · pitcher · can · present · bank · nail · clip

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bank — for money
  3. clip — a video
  4. cue — for pool
  5. present — there
  6. swing — to play on
  7. can — a tin
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bank — of a river
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. clip — to cut
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. swing — music
  14. present — the time now
  15. bank — for money
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. can — a tin
  20. present — a gift
  21. swing — in golf
  22. can — to be able to
  23. clip — for paper
  24. cue — a signal

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