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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. club — for dancing
  5. mug — to rob
  6. spell — a short time
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pitch — completely
  9. chest — of your body
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. spell — letters
  18. club — for golf
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mug — a face
  22. spell — magic
  23. mug — a cup
  24. chest — a box

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