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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.

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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: lean · branch · track · plane · press · perch · bore · swing

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. lean — thin
  3. bore — to drill
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. track — a path
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. swing — in golf
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. perch — the fish
  11. swing — music
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. press — a publisher
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. press — to push
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. plane — a tool
  18. lean — to bend
  19. track — a song
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. track — to keep track
  24. swing — to play on

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