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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: swing · branch · hide · cap · track · rash · charge · bound

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. track — to keep track
  3. branch — a division
  4. cap — a hat
  5. track — a song
  6. swing — music
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. charge — in control
  9. rash — a series
  10. cap — a lid
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — certain
  14. track — a path
  15. bound — tied together
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rash — hasty
  18. charge — electricity
  19. cap — of ice
  20. charge — a price
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. swing — to play on
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. hide — animal skin

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