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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 120 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: bear · branch · nail · swing · wave · pass · present · cell

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — a gift
  9. swing — music
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. present — there
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. cell — a phone
  15. cell — in biology
  16. swing — to play on
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. branch — a division
  21. pass — a permit
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. swing — in golf

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