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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: safe · swing · file · bank · drill · chest · rash · racket

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — music
  4. drill — a practice
  5. file — a tool
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. file — a line of people
  8. rash — hasty
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bank — of a river
  12. rash — a series
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. swing — to play on
  15. file — a document
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chest — of your body
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bank — for money
  22. chest — a box
  23. bank — for money
  24. safe — a strongbox

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