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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: mark · pit · rest · mouse · club · chip · branch · racket

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. branch — a division
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. rest — a break
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mark — a grade
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pit — a hole
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rest — what's left
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. club — for golf
  16. chip — to eat
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pit — in a race
  19. club — for dancing
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. branch — of a bank

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