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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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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: pass · swing · plane · kick · current · bear · branch · bark

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. current — electric
  3. bear — the animal
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. swing — to play on
  10. kick — in football
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bark — to shout
  13. swing — in golf
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. current — happening now
  16. pass — a permit
  17. current — of water
  18. branch — a division
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bear — the animal
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. kick — with a leg

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