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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: leaves · suit · swing · cabinet · branch · jam · mate · bat

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. swing — to play on
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bat — the animal
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mate — a friend
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. suit — in cards
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — music
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bat — for baseball

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