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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 116 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: object · cue · wave · branch · key · swing · spring · present

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. key — in music
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. object — an aim
  5. branch — a division
  6. present — the time now
  7. swing — music
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. present — there
  10. spring — the season
  11. swing — to play on
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. spring — of water
  15. spring — a coil
  16. object — a thing
  17. present — a gift
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. swing — in golf
  23. cue — a signal
  24. object — to protest

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