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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 120 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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — a practice
  4. swing — to play on
  5. pop — to visit
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. can — a tin
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. drill — the tool
  10. staff — employees
  11. swing — in golf
  12. can — a tin
  13. swing — music
  14. track — a path
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — a division
  17. track — a song
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pop — soda
  20. staff — employees
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pop — music
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. can — to be able to

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