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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: snap · suit · club · race · rush · season · branch · jam

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. branch — a division
  3. suit — clothes
  4. race — the arms race
  5. race — a contest
  6. snap — to click
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. suit — in cards
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. race — humankind
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rush — hurry
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. season — in sport
  17. club — for dancing
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. suit — to fit
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. season — of the year
  24. club — a group

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