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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. swing — in golf
  7. branch — a division
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rock — music
  10. saw — the tool
  11. swing — to play on
  12. chest — of your body
  13. suit — in cards
  14. swing — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. saw — the tool
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. content — happy
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. content — the amount
  24. branch — of a tree

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