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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. file — a tool
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. rash — hasty
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. branch — a division
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. rash — a series
  12. swing — in golf
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. file — a document
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. file — a line of people
  17. squash — the sport
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. swing — music
  21. squash — to crush
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. snap — to click
  24. swing — to play on

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