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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 · leaves · bay · fork · season · mate · mouse · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. swing — in golf
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. season — of the year
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. mate — to breed
  13. swing — music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. branch — a division
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. mate — a friend
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. fork — in a road
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mouse — 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