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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: toast · branch · swing · mug · pitcher · ball · jam · game

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. game — a match
  3. ball — a dance
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. swing — in golf
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. mug — a face
  9. branch — a division
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. game — wild animals
  16. swing — to play on
  17. mug — to rob
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. swing — music
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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