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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. branch — a division
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. suit — in cards
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. snap — to click
  13. track — a song
  14. club — for dancing
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. hand — help
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. club — a group
  21. hand — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. club — for golf

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