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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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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 · ball · fine · key · nail · saw · ground · swing

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. ball — a dance
  3. swing — in golf
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. ground — crushed
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ground — the earth
  9. key — in music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — the most important part
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. ground — a position
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fine — all right
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fine — high quality
  23. swing — music
  24. branch — a division

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