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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: ruler · pop · swing · wound · pitcher · cap · arm · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. cap — a lid
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bank — for money
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. swing — music
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. swing — in golf
  16. cap — a hat
  17. swing — to play on
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bank — of a river
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

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