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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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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: net · pound · present · ruler · track · key · bank · swing

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. track — a song
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bank — for money
  5. swing — in golf
  6. key — the most important part
  7. net — after costs
  8. present — a gift
  9. track — to keep track
  10. key — for a lock
  11. net — in sport
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. present — there
  14. net — for catching
  15. swing — music
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bank — of a river
  18. track — a path
  19. swing — to play on
  20. present — the time now
  21. pound — a weight
  22. key — in music
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — for dogs

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