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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 · pitcher · lash · branch · board · toast · wound · mug

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. swing — in golf
  8. swing — to play on
  9. mug — a face
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. board — a committee
  12. branch — a division
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a cup
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. board — to get on
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. toast — bread
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. swing — music

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