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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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: safe · fan · rush · swing · branch · wave · wind · jam

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. swing — music
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. swing — to play on
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. branch — a division
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rush — hurry
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wind — moving air
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. swing — in golf
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wind — moving air

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