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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 116 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: track · club · face · branch · bound · hand · cue · pop

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bound — certain
  4. track — a path
  5. club — a group
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. track — a song
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — part of the head
  10. cue — a signal
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. track — to keep track
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — music
  15. branch — a division
  16. cue — a hint
  17. hand — help
  18. bound — tied together
  19. hand — in cards
  20. cue — for pool
  21. face — to point toward
  22. club — for golf
  23. bound — obliged
  24. pop — to visit

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