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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: chip · bark · bank · rule · bear · rest · swing · bulb

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bank — for money
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. chip — for betting
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bank — for money
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rule — government
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. rest — a break
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rule — a law
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bear — the animal

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