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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: cue · bank · fan · swing · object · suit · clip · spring

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. cue — a signal
  3. clip — to cut
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bank — for money
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — in golf
  10. clip — a video
  11. cue — a hint
  12. suit — clothes
  13. clip — for paper
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bank — of a river
  16. object — an aim
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — for money
  19. suit — to fit
  20. spring — a coil
  21. object — to protest
  22. spring — the season
  23. object — a thing
  24. cue — for pool

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