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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 116 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: staff · branch · wax · bay · mate · pit · ball · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. staff — employees
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. mate — a friend
  9. club — a group
  10. pit — a hole
  11. ball — a dance
  12. staff — employees
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wax — to grow
  15. pit — in a race
  16. club — for dancing
  17. branch — a division
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. staff — a stick
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. mate — a partner

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