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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 · season · stick · bowl · drill · club · stock · ball

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. ball — a dance
  6. drill — a practice
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. drill — the tool
  10. club — a group
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. season — in sport
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. club — for dancing
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. season — of the year
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. ball — a great time
  20. branch — a division
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. drill — army training
  24. branch — of a bank

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