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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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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: swing · bank · suit · wax · row · fine · ruler · pit

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bank — for money
  3. swing — in golf
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pit — in a race
  7. fine — high quality
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bank — for money
  12. wax — to grow
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. swing — to play on
  16. bank — of a river
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. fine — all right
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. row — a line
  21. row — to paddle
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. suit — to fit
  24. swing — music

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