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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. charge — a price
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. net — for catching
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. swing — music
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. rest — what's left
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. net — after costs
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rest — a break
  17. branch — a division
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. charge — in control
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. swing — to play on
  24. net — in sport

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