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

Word bank: racket · straw · bowl · charge · club · rule · branch · kick

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. rule — government
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. club — for dancing
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. club — for golf
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. club — a group
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. charge — in control
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. charge — a price
  23. branch — a division
  24. kick — a thrill

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