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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: rock · swing · bank · band · fork · fine · squash · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. fork — in a road
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bank — for money
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fine — high quality
  8. band — a music group
  9. squash — the sport
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bank — of a river
  12. rock — a stone
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bank — for money
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. rock — music
  20. band — a ring
  21. fine — all right
  22. swing — music
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. swing — in golf

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