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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: leaves · chip · cue · swing · trunk · bank · bound · saw

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. cue — a hint
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bank — of a river
  9. cue — a signal
  10. swing — music
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — certain
  17. chip — for betting
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. swing — in golf
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. cue — for pool

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