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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: swing · band · branch · ruler · sharp · row · dip · club

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. club — for dancing
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — music
  6. band — a music group
  7. row — to paddle
  8. branch — a division
  9. dip — to sink
  10. swing — in golf
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. club — a group
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. row — a line
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. sharp — clever
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. band — a ring
  22. club — for golf
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. ruler — a monarch

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