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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 116 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: prune · bank · rest · band · nail · fine · swing · lie

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. swing — to play on
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. band — a ring
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bank — for money
  11. rest — a break
  12. band — a music group
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rest — what's left
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. bank — for money
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. fine — all right
  20. bank — of a river
  21. fine — high quality
  22. swing — music
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rest — what's left

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