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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: arm · club · branch · chest · racket · game · rush · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. club — a group
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — for dancing
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. game — wild animals
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. branch — a division
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chest — of your body
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. game — a match
  22. rush — hurry
  23. chest — a box
  24. arm — a part of something

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