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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 120 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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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: straw · chest · file · prune · bank · charge · swing · deal

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. swing — music
  4. file — a document
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. file — a tool
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chest — a box
  14. bank — for money
  15. charge — a price
  16. prune — to trim
  17. swing — to play on
  18. charge — in control
  19. swing — in golf
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. charge — electricity
  23. chest — of your body
  24. deal — to handle

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