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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: arm · fan · foot · branch · deal · swing · mouse · racket

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. foot — a measure
  3. swing — to play on
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. swing — music
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. branch — a division
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. swing — in golf
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. deal — to handle
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. fan — a supporter

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