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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 120 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. swing — in golf
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pound — a weight
  7. track — a song
  8. squash — the sport
  9. branch — a division
  10. track — a path
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. can — a tin
  13. swing — to play on
  14. can — a tin
  15. board — a committee
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. board — to get on
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. can — to be able to
  24. squash — to crush

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