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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: pass · perch · club · branch · tube · foot · vault · wave

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. pass — a permit
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. perch — the fish
  6. club — for dancing
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tube — the underground
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. tube — a container
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. club — a group
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. vault — a safe
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. branch — a division
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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