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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. plane — a tool
  3. swing — in golf
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. swing — to play on
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. season — of the year
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. swing — music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. capital — money
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. craft — a skill
  19. season — in sport
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. capital — a city
  23. branch — a division
  24. temple — a place of worship

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