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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: chip · firm · rule · bank · pop · band · lean · swing

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. firm — a company
  3. pop — to visit
  4. band — a music group
  5. chip — for betting
  6. swing — in golf
  7. lean — thin
  8. bank — of a river
  9. band — a ring
  10. swing — to play on
  11. pop — soda
  12. rule — government
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bank — for money
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. lean — to bend
  17. rule — a law
  18. firm — steady
  19. pop — music
  20. firm — decided
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. swing — music
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. chip — to eat

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