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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: key · bank · rush · fan · roll · cabinet · swing · firm

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bank — for money
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bank — of a river
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. key — in music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. roll — a cake
  13. key — the most important part
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. swing — music
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. swing — in golf
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bank — for money
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. firm — a company

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