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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 116 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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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: bank · row · nail · suit · rest · branch · swing · mate

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mate — to breed
  4. swing — to play on
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bank — of a river
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bank — for money
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bank — for money
  11. row — a line
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. suit — to fit
  14. swing — in golf
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. swing — music
  19. branch — a division
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mate — a partner
  24. rest — what's left

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