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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: net · suit · object · fan · content · branch · cap · swing

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. object — a thing
  3. swing — to play on
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. cap — a hat
  8. net — after costs
  9. content — happy
  10. net — in sport
  11. object — to protest
  12. branch — a division
  13. net — for catching
  14. suit — clothes
  15. swing — in golf
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. content — the amount
  18. cap — of ice
  19. object — an aim
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. cap — a lid

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