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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 120 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: branch · bear · club · tube · straw · bay · scale · charge

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. charge — a price
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. tube — a container
  9. charge — in control
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. branch — a division
  12. bear — the animal
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. club — for dancing
  18. charge — electricity
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  24. scale — in music

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