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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.

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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: straw · mark · safe · wake · rush · swing · branch · face

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. swing — to play on
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. face — to point toward
  7. rush — hurry
  8. wake — a trail
  9. swing — music
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. mark — a trace
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. face — to confront
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. branch — a division
  18. swing — in golf
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rush — a thrill

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