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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: rest · rock · branch · key · suit · club · calf · capital

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rock — a stone
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rest — a break
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. capital — money
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. rest — what's left
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. club — a group
  15. capital — a city
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. branch — a division
  19. club — for golf
  20. rock — music
  21. club — for dancing
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. suit — in cards
  24. branch — of a tree

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