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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
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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: pass · branch · arm · swing · saw · cap · trunk · sharp

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. sharp — clever
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. swing — to play on
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. cap — of ice
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. swing — music
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. cap — a hat
  16. saw — the tool
  17. branch — a division
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. cap — a lid
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. swing — in golf

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