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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: rush · wave · branch · nail · can · bear · swing · prune

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rush — hurry
  4. prune — to trim
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. swing — to play on
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. prune — to trim
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. can — a tin
  19. branch — a division
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. swing — music
  24. bear — the animal

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