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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: branch · swing · plane · mark · present · wound · season · stick

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. branch — a division
  5. mark — a trace
  6. swing — music
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. season — in sport
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. season — of the year
  13. wound — an injury
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. wound — an injury
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. plane — a tool
  21. swing — to play on
  22. present — there
  23. swing — in golf
  24. present — a gift

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