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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: vault · foot · mouse · spell · racket · swing · squash · branch

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. swing — music
  4. branch — a division
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. squash — to crush
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. spell — letters
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. swing — to play on
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. swing — in golf
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. foot — a measure
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. vault — a safe
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — the vegetable

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