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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. club — for dancing
  5. land — to come down
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pop — soda
  9. land — a country
  10. land — ground
  11. can — to be able to
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. can — a tin
  14. fork — in a road
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — to visit
  18. band — a music group
  19. club — for golf
  20. band — a ring
  21. can — a tin
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. club — a group
  24. ball — a dance

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