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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — a group
  3. branch — a division
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — of ice
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. root — the cause
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. cap — a hat
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. band — a music group
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. root — of a plant
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — for betting
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. root — of a word
  23. band — a ring
  24. branch — of a tree

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