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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: file · snap · branch · object · bowl · pop · swing · date

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. object — an aim
  3. swing — music
  4. pop — soda
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. file — a line of people
  8. date — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. file — a tool
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. snap — to click
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. object — to protest
  18. swing — in golf
  19. pop — music
  20. swing — to play on
  21. pop — to visit
  22. file — a document
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. object — a thing

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