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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bulb — for light
  3. swing — to play on
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. swing — in golf
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. race — humankind
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. swing — music
  13. rock — music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. race — the arms race
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bulb — for light
  19. branch — a division
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — of the year
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. race — a contest

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