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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. swing — to play on
  4. present — the time now
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mark — a grade
  8. wake — a trail
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. present — a gift
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. chip — to eat
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. chip — for betting
  17. swing — in golf
  18. mark — a trace
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. swing — music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. present — there
  24. branch — a division

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