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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. suit — in cards
  6. swing — in golf
  7. stand — to bear
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fine — high quality
  10. cap — of ice
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. suit — to fit
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. cap — a lid
  17. mine — for digging
  18. fine — all right
  19. plane — a tool
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. cap — a hat
  22. swing — music
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stand — on your feet

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