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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 · suit · sharp · clip · object · branch · club · ground

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. ground — the earth
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. suit — in cards
  5. object — a thing
  6. suit — clothes
  7. tube — a container
  8. clip — to cut
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. branch — a division
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. ground — crushed
  14. suit — to fit
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — for dancing
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. sharp — clever
  20. object — to protest
  21. clip — a video
  22. clip — for paper
  23. object — an aim
  24. tube — the underground

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