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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. swing — music
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. content — happy
  10. content — the amount
  11. swing — in golf
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. swing — to play on
  14. last — finally
  15. last — final
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. branch — a division
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. board — to get on
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. last — to go on
  24. content — videos and posts

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