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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: saw · ground · swing · chip · straw · branch · foot · mark

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mark — a grade
  4. branch — a division
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. ground — the earth
  8. swing — to play on
  9. ground — crushed
  10. mark — a trace
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. saw — the tool
  13. chip — for betting
  14. saw — the tool
  15. swing — in golf
  16. chip — to eat
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. swing — music
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. ground — a position
  24. foot — a measure

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