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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. board — a committee
  3. club — for dancing
  4. board — to get on
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. club — for golf
  9. ground — the earth
  10. club — a group
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. ground — crushed
  14. track — a song
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ground — a position
  17. track — a path
  18. track — to keep track
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. branch — a division
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. ball — a dance
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. branch — of a bank

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