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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 120 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: mate · band · dip · branch · racket · swing · scale · object

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. swing — music
  3. branch — a division
  4. object — an aim
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. swing — to play on
  7. object — to protest
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a music group
  13. scale — size or range
  14. band — a ring
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. mate — a partner
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. scale — in music
  19. mate — to breed
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mate — a friend
  23. object — a thing
  24. scale — for weighing

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