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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: can · squash · swing · bore · bat · suit · spell · bank

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. can — a tin
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. suit — clothes
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bank — for money
  10. swing — to play on
  11. suit — to fit
  12. spell — letters
  13. bat — the animal
  14. swing — in golf
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bank — for money
  17. swing — music
  18. bore — to tire
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. spell — magic
  22. bore — to drill
  23. squash — to crush
  24. can — a tin

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