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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: file · branch · perch · can · hide · sharp · swing · mark

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. file — a line of people
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. can — to be able to
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. sharp — clever
  10. branch — a division
  11. mark — a grade
  12. swing — to play on
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. file — a tool
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. perch — the fish
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mark — a trace
  22. swing — in golf
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. file — a document

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