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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: face · perch · current · branch · club · game · mug · racket

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a match
  4. current — electric
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. current — of water
  7. face — to confront
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. club — a group
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. face — part of the head
  12. mug — a face
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. club — for dancing
  15. perch — the fish
  16. mug — to rob
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. face — to point toward
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. current — happening now
  22. branch — a division
  23. mug — a cup
  24. racket — a loud noise

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