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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. club — a group
  3. bore — to tire
  4. club — for golf
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. charge — in control
  7. prune — to trim
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. charge — electricity
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. prune — to trim
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to drill
  18. capital — money
  19. charge — a price
  20. sharp — clever
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. club — for dancing
  23. capital — a city
  24. sharp — exactly

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