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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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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 · bat · suit · rule · swing · spell · nail · hide

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. swing — to play on
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bat — the animal
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rule — a law
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — magic
  17. rule — government
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. spell — a short time
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. suit — clothes
  24. swing — music

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