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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: branch · cell · staff · swing · coach · ground · wave · craft

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. branch — a division
  4. cell — in biology
  5. staff — a stick
  6. swing — to play on
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. swing — in golf
  9. ground — crushed
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. cell — a phone
  12. staff — employees
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. swing — music
  16. craft — boats
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — a position
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. staff — employees
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. craft — a skill

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