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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. spell — a short time
  3. swing — to play on
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cue — a hint
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. spell — letters
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cue — a signal
  14. spell — magic
  15. bear — the animal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. swing — in golf
  20. branch — a division
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cell — in biology
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. cell — a phone

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