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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. swing — to play on
  4. stem — to come from
  5. staff — employees
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. toast — bread
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. staff — a stick
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bank — for money
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. craft — a skill
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bank — for money
  19. branch — a division
  20. staff — employees
  21. craft — boats
  22. bank — of a river
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. branch — of a tree

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