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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 · present · staff · bulb · firm · hand · swing · cue

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. present — a gift
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. hand — in cards
  7. cue — a hint
  8. present — there
  9. bulb — for light
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bulb — for light
  15. staff — employees
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. swing — music
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. present — the time now
  23. branch — a division
  24. staff — employees

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