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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. board — to get on
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bear — the animal
  5. branch — a division
  6. club — a group
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. track — to keep track
  9. rush — hurry
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. board — a committee
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. club — for golf
  22. track — a song
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. track — a path

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