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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mug — a face
  10. rush — hurry
  11. land — a country
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. board — a committee
  14. capital — a city
  15. land — ground
  16. mug — to rob
  17. pop — music
  18. mug — a cup
  19. capital — money
  20. board — to get on
  21. land — to come down
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. branch — a division
  24. swing — music

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