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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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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: key · branch · deal · rest · club · pit · shower · calf

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rest — a break
  4. pit — in a race
  5. club — for golf
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. shower — rain
  9. rest — what's left
  10. shower — to wash
  11. rest — what's left
  12. key — the most important part
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pit — a hole
  21. key — in music
  22. club — for dancing
  23. key — for a lock
  24. branch — a division

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