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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. swing — music
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. craft — boats
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bank — of a river
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. swing — in golf

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