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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. club — for dancing
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. branch — a division
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. pass — a permit
  9. club — for golf
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pound — a weight
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kid — child
  23. club — a group
  24. sharp — exactly

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