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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. deal — to handle
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. spring — the season
  6. track — a path
  7. track — to keep track
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. spring — of water
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mug — to rob
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. mug — a face
  19. track — a song
  20. swing — to play on
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. spring — a coil
  23. mug — a cup
  24. straw — dry grass

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