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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 116 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — music
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. branch — a division
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. board — a committee
  8. swing — in golf
  9. board — to get on
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bound — certain
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. bound — obliged
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pop — to visit
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. suit — in cards
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bound — tied together
  22. pop — music
  23. can — a tin
  24. pop — soda

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