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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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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: key · squash · tube · branch · bowl · firm · track · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. tube — a container
  3. track — to keep track
  4. squash — the sport
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. branch — a division
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. firm — a company
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. club — a group
  17. key — in music
  18. tube — the underground
  19. squash — to crush
  20. key — for a lock
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. club — for dancing

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