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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stand — to bear
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. swing — to play on
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pop — music
  18. branch — a division
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pop — soda
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. pop — to visit

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