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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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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: rash · branch · ball · pop · present · bear · suit · club

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. club — for golf
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pop — soda
  5. club — for dancing
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. suit — to fit
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. pop — music
  12. club — a group
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. present — there
  15. suit — in cards
  16. present — a gift
  17. ball — a great time
  18. branch — a division
  19. rash — a series
  20. present — the time now
  21. pop — to visit
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bear — the animal
  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