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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — a tool
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. object — to protest
  6. stem — to come from
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. club — a group
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. club — for golf
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. object — an aim
  17. club — for dancing
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. branch — a division
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — music
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. wound — an injury
  24. object — a thing

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