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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
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: branch · pitcher · spring · mouse · mark · row · plane · swing

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. row — to paddle
  4. spring — the season
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. spring — a coil
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. row — a line
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. spring — of water
  15. swing — to play on
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mark — a grade
  18. swing — music
  19. branch — a division
  20. swing — in golf
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. mouse — the animal

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