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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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. court — of law
  3. firm — a company
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. club — for golf
  6. firm — steady
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. chip — for betting
  11. branch — a division
  12. bass — the fish
  13. club — a group
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bass — low music
  16. chip — to eat
  17. court — for sport
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. firm — decided
  21. club — for dancing
  22. court — of a king
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. game — a match

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