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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. net — after costs
  5. root — of a word
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. deal — to handle
  9. net — in sport
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bulb — for light
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. root — the cause
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. swing — to play on
  22. net — for catching
  23. root — of a plant
  24. branch — a division

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