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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — for dancing
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ball — a great time
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. board — a committee
  9. lean — thin
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. club — a group
  13. ground — the earth
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. branch — a division
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pit — a hole
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. board — to get on
  23. ground — a position
  24. lean — to bend

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