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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: bowl · swing · wind · patient · ruler · vault · bank · arm

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. bowl — a football final
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. swing — to play on
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bank — for money
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bank — for money
  18. wind — moving air
  19. swing — in golf
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. wind — moving air
  22. vault — a safe
  23. arm — part of the body
  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