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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: branch · swing · jam · track · lean · bore · bear · cue

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bear — the animal
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. lean — thin
  10. cue — a hint
  11. track — a path
  12. lean — to bend
  13. swing — music
  14. branch — a division
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bore — to drill
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. track — a song
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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