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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: lash · bulb · mouse · swing · mine · chip · roll · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. roll — a list
  3. swing — to play on
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mine — for digging
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. chip — for betting
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. chip — to eat
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. swing — music
  20. roll — a cake
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bank — for money
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bulb — for light

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