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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — music
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pound — a weight
  5. band — a music group
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. band — a ring
  16. club — for dancing
  17. face — to confront
  18. club — for golf
  19. face — part of the head
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. branch — a division
  23. swing — in golf
  24. club — a group

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