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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: branch · club · spring · foot · suit · bound · rush · stick

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. club — for dancing
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. spring — the season
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. foot — a measure
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — a group
  13. suit — clothes
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — a division
  16. spring — a coil
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. spring — of water
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — obliged
  24. suit — in cards

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