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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 120 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: swing · degree · arm · bowl · staff · can · pop · branch

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. degree — an amount
  7. can — a tin
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. can — a tin
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. degree — from a university
  13. can — to be able to
  14. staff — employees
  15. pop — music
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pop — soda
  19. swing — to play on
  20. branch — a division
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. degree — temperature
  24. bowl — to roll

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