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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  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. branch — a division
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bass — the fish
  4. court — of law
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. court — for sport
  7. court — of a king
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bulb — for light
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. club — a group
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bulb — for light
  19. club — for dancing
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bass — low music
  22. club — for golf
  23. arm — a part of something
  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