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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.

Make a worksheet

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: foot · branch · swing · straw · bank · object · date · fan

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bank — for money
  7. date — the fruit
  8. branch — a division
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bank — of a river
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. object — an aim
  15. swing — music
  16. object — to protest
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bank — for money
  19. swing — to play on
  20. foot — a measure
  21. object — a thing
  22. swing — in golf
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. date — on the calendar

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