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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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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 · ground · swing · sharp · trunk · bank · bass · temple

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. sharp — clever
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bank — of a river
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. swing — music
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bank — for money
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. ground — a position
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. chip — for betting
  14. ground — crushed
  15. swing — to play on
  16. bank — for money
  17. ground — the earth
  18. chip — to eat
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — the fish
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. temple — a place of worship

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