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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: scale · game · nail · bank · trunk · swing · bound · rash

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  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. swing — to play on
  2. scale — size or range
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — a match
  5. bank — of a river
  6. swing — in golf
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bound — tied together
  11. rash — a series
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bound — certain
  17. scale — in music
  18. bound — obliged
  19. rash — hasty
  20. game — wild animals
  21. swing — music
  22. bank — for money
  23. trunk — of a tree
  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