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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.

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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. branch — a division
  3. club — for golf
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. club — a group
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. season — of the year
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. staff — employees
  16. kick — in football
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. season — in sport
  19. chair — a leader
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. kick — with a leg

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