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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · roll · lean · swing · rule · bank · bark · mouse

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bank — for money
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rule — a law
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. swing — in golf
  11. rule — government
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mug — a face
  15. bank — of a river
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. roll — a cake
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — thin
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bank — for money
  23. swing — music
  24. roll — a list

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