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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: content · swing · sharp · suit · calf · branch · bay · mine

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. swing — in golf
  4. branch — a division
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. suit — to fit
  14. content — the amount
  15. swing — to play on
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. suit — in cards
  19. swing — music
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. suit — clothes
  23. content — happy
  24. branch — of a bank

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