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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.

Words on the sheet
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: coach · leaves · bass · bank · shower · swing · ruler · saw

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  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. bass — the fish
  2. bank — for money
  3. saw — the tool
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — to play on
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. swing — music
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. shower — rain
  21. bass — low music
  22. shower — to wash
  23. saw — the tool
  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