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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. plane — a tool
  3. suit — clothes
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. swing — in golf
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. cold — not warm
  11. suit — in cards
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cold — an illness
  14. swing — to play on
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. branch — a division
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. charge — in control
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. suit — to fit
  24. charge — a price

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