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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 120 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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. fine — all right
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. mark — a grade
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. branch — a division
  8. pass — a permit
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. club — a group
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. game — a match
  18. club — for golf
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. game — wild animals
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mark — a trace
  24. ruler — for measuring

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