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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: swing · game · bear · file · bank · cap · suit · mate

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. mate — a friend
  6. suit — clothes
  7. game — a match
  8. game — wild animals
  9. swing — music
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bank — for money
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. suit — in cards
  14. file — a document
  15. mate — to breed
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bank — for money
  18. file — a tool
  19. swing — to play on
  20. cap — a lid
  21. file — a line of people
  22. mate — a partner
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bear — the animal

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