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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — for dancing
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fork — in a road
  6. ball — a great time
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. branch — a division
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. face — to point toward
  24. club — a group

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