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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: branch · stand · present · perch · mate · rock · spell · swing

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. swing — music
  5. spell — magic
  6. mate — to breed
  7. present — a gift
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rock — a stone
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. present — there
  12. mate — a friend
  13. swing — to play on
  14. rock — music
  15. mate — a partner
  16. spell — a short time
  17. stand — to bear
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. branch — a division
  21. perch — the fish
  22. spell — letters
  23. present — the time now
  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