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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: branch · suit · land · mug · row · swing · patient · dip

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. swing — music
  3. mug — to rob
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. land — a country
  6. dip — to sink
  7. row — to paddle
  8. mug — a cup
  9. row — a line
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. swing — to play on
  14. land — ground
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mug — a face
  18. suit — in cards
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. swing — in golf
  22. suit — clothes
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. land — to come down

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