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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. fine — all right
  4. net — in sport
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fine — high quality
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. tear — from crying
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. swing — to play on
  17. tear — from crying
  18. branch — a division
  19. swing — in golf
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. toast — bread
  22. tear — to rip
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — for catching

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