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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stem — to come from
  8. chip — to eat
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. scale — size or range
  17. club — for golf
  18. chip — for betting
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bass — the fish
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bass — low music
  23. bank — for money
  24. scale — in music

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