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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. land — to come down
  4. branch — a division
  5. swing — music
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bound — tied together
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bound — certain
  11. mark — a trace
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. suit — in cards
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. swing — to play on
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. suit — to fit
  18. land — ground
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bound — obliged
  24. land — a country

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