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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: ball · game · pop · branch · charge · stick · cue · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — music
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. charge — in control
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pop — to visit
  8. branch — a division
  9. ball — a dance
  10. charge — electricity
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. club — a group
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. game — wild animals
  18. club — for dancing
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cue — a hint
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — a match
  24. charge — a price

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