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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: mug · lean · swing · bank · pitcher · pound · ruler · key

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bank — for money
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. key — for a lock
  7. swing — in golf
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bank — for money
  10. lean — thin
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. swing — music
  13. mug — a cup
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mug — a face
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mug — to rob
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. swing — to play on

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