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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. cue — for pool
  3. swing — to play on
  4. ground — crushed
  5. pop — to visit
  6. ball — a great time
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. content — the amount
  9. branch — a division
  10. ball — a dance
  11. cue — a hint
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. pop — soda
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. suit — to fit
  16. swing — in golf
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — a position
  19. pop — music
  20. suit — in cards
  21. swing — music
  22. cue — a signal
  23. suit — clothes
  24. content — happy

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