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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: racket · club · sharp · net · branch · cue · jam · stick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. club — a group
  4. sharp — clever
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. club — for golf
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — after costs
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. club — for dancing
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. branch — a division
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. net — in sport
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. cue — a signal

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