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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: tube · mug · court · club · branch · land · mark · bass

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. club — a group
  5. mug — to rob
  6. tube — the underground
  7. mark — a trace
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. court — of a king
  11. mug — a cup
  12. court — of law
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bass — low music
  16. land — ground
  17. land — to come down
  18. court — for sport
  19. branch — a division
  20. land — a country
  21. club — for golf
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mug — a face
  24. bass — the fish

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