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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: squash · bay · branch · swing · hand · bulb · bowl · current

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. swing — in golf
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bulb — for light
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. current — of water
  13. branch — a division
  14. swing — music
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. squash — to crush
  17. current — electric
  18. hand — help
  19. bulb — for light
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. current — happening now

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