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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: spell · swing · pass · nail · bark · bank · ruler · game

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. spell — letters
  4. swing — music
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. swing — to play on
  7. spell — magic
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. swing — in golf
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bark — to shout
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. spell — a short time
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. game — a match
  17. bank — for money
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bank — for money
  20. pass — a permit
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. ruler — for measuring

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