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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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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: suit · swing · squash · lean · bank · rush · ruler · bat

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bank — for money
  3. swing — music
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lean — thin
  13. bat — the animal
  14. lean — to bend
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — to crush
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bank — of a river
  19. swing — to play on
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bat — for baseball
  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