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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: bank · drill · pop · swing · rush · chest · craft · bay

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bank — for money
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pop — soda
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — music
  11. drill — army training
  12. bank — of a river
  13. chest — of your body
  14. craft — boats
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bank — for money
  18. chest — of your body
  19. swing — music
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. swing — to play on
  23. craft — a skill
  24. rush — hurry

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