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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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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 · swing · cue · chip · ball · bark · staff · craft

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. craft — a skill
  4. swing — music
  5. branch — a division
  6. chip — to eat
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. staff — employees
  10. swing — in golf
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bark — to shout
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. chip — for betting
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. staff — employees
  22. ball — a dance
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a handicraft

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