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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. club — a group
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. can — a tin
  9. club — for dancing
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — a division
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. suit — in cards
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. suit — to fit
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — an injury
  22. suit — clothes
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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