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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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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: bank · rule · mate · pop · swing · wake · mine · vault

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. rule — government
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pop — music
  6. bank — for money
  7. mate — a friend
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. swing — in golf
  10. mine — for digging
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. vault — a safe
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pop — to visit
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. wake — a trail
  23. pop — soda
  24. rule — a law

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