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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.

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: wave · swing · rest · ball · current · branch · scale · arm

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. ball — a great time
  3. swing — in golf
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. rest — what's left
  6. current — of water
  7. scale — in music
  8. current — happening now
  9. branch — a division
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. swing — music
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. ball — a dance
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. current — electric
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. scale — size or range
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. swing — to play on

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