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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. swing — to play on
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. cap — a hat
  5. swing — music
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — hasty
  9. swing — in golf
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. branch — a division
  12. present — the time now
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. cap — of ice
  15. rock — music
  16. present — there
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. content — the amount
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. present — a gift
  22. cap — a lid
  23. rock — a stone
  24. content — happy

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