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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: rock · drill · bark · branch · swing · press · track · game

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. press — a publisher
  3. swing — music
  4. drill — army training
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. press — newspapers
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. game — a match
  9. press — to push
  10. rock — music
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. game — wild animals
  18. branch — a division
  19. drill — the tool
  20. track — a path
  21. bark — to shout
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a song
  24. swing — in golf

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