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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: club · pop · branch · scale · ball · cabinet · object · chair

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  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. club — for dancing
  2. object — a thing
  3. ball — a great time
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. pop — soda
  6. object — an aim
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. branch — a division
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. ball — a dance
  11. scale — in music
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pop — music
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chair — a leader
  18. club — a group
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. pop — to visit
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. club — for golf
  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