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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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468
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: hide · safe · bank · swing · saw · bulb · cold · roll

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bank — of a river
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bulb — for light
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — music
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. bank — for money
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cold — an illness
  16. cold — not warm
  17. roll — a list
  18. saw — the tool
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. roll — a cake
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bank — for money

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