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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 116 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: squash · branch · stem · perch · fine · band · swing · mark

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. swing — in golf
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. swing — to play on
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. swing — music
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. squash — the sport
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — high quality
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. squash — to crush
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. branch — a division
  21. band — a music group
  22. mark — a grade
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. band — a rubber band

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