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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. staff — employees
  3. pass — a permit
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. season — of the year
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bulb — for light
  10. club — for dancing
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wake — a trail
  13. season — in sport
  14. bulb — for light
  15. club — a group
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. staff — employees
  24. branch — a division

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