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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rock — music
  8. club — for dancing
  9. cue — for pool
  10. club — for golf
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. club — a group
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rash — a series
  17. rock — a stone
  18. object — an aim
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. object — a thing
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rest — a break
  24. object — to protest

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