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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. scale — size or range
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. swing — in golf
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. swing — music
  9. board — to get on
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. scale — in music
  12. swing — to play on
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. club — a group
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. board — a committee
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. club — for dancing
  21. branch — a division
  22. club — for golf
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. scale — for weighing

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