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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: perch · calf · bore · branch · club · ball · lie · pass

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. ball — a dance
  3. club — for dancing
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. lie — to recline
  6. club — for golf
  7. bore — to drill
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pass — a permit
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — a division
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. perch — the fish
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bore — to tire
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bore — gave birth

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