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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. club — a group
  3. mark — a grade
  4. root — of a plant
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. charge — a price
  7. club — for golf
  8. charge — in control
  9. root — of a word
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. roll — a list
  14. charge — electricity
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — a division
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. root — the cause
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. roll — a cake
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. mark — a trace

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