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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. net — in sport
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. club — for dancing
  8. sharp — clever
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. saw — the tool
  11. net — after costs
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. net — for catching
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — a division
  16. club — for golf
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. club — a group
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cue — for pool

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