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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.

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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: branch · trunk · stick · stand · lean · swing · pound · content

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. swing — in golf
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pound — a weight
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. swing — music
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — a division
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. swing — to play on
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. content — happy
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. content — the amount
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stand — to bear

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