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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
468
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: chair · rock · object · suit · pitch · branch · club · saw

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. club — a group
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. suit — clothes
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. chair — a leader
  10. club — for golf
  11. saw — the tool
  12. branch — a division
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. object — a thing
  15. pitch — completely
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rock — music
  18. suit — to fit
  19. saw — the tool
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. club — for dancing
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. rock — a stone
  24. object — to protest

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