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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. club — for dancing
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. branch — a division
  8. can — a tin
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for golf
  11. rock — music
  12. rest — a break
  13. can — to be able to
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. ball — a great time
  17. kid — to tease
  18. ball — a dance
  19. snap — to click
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rock — a stone
  22. can — a tin
  23. kid — child
  24. rest — what's left

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