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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. staff — employees
  3. club — for dancing
  4. ball — a great time
  5. staff — a stick
  6. plane — a tool
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. branch — a division
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. staff — employees
  15. ball — a dance
  16. foot — a measure
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. rule — government
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. club — a group
  23. rule — a law
  24. club — for golf

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