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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: bowl · arm · cap · branch · rock · cue · club · stand

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. club — a group
  3. branch — a division
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. club — for dancing
  8. rock — a stone
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. club — for golf
  15. cap — a hat
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. rock — music
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. stand — to bear
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cue — for pool
  24. branch — of a tree

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