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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. craft — boats
  4. march — the month
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — a group
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. march — music
  15. craft — a skill
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. band — a ring
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. snap — to click
  20. march — the month
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. band — a music group

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