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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.

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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: swing · roll · firm · mug · chair · branch · land · bank

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  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. branch — a division
  2. bank — of a river
  3. mug — a face
  4. chair — a leader
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bank — for money
  8. firm — a company
  9. swing — in golf
  10. land — to come down
  11. firm — steady
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. firm — decided
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. swing — to play on
  17. land — a country
  18. mug — to rob
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. land — ground
  23. bank — for money
  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