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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: swing · bark · leaves · charge · board · branch · kick · squash

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. charge — in control
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. branch — a division
  7. swing — in golf
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. board — to get on
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. board — a committee
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bark — to shout
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. swing — music
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. kick — in football
  23. swing — to play on
  24. leaves — of a tree

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