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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: branch · chip · rest · club · pass · pit · fan · stick

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. branch — a division
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. chip — for betting
  8. rest — what's left
  9. club — for golf
  10. pass — a permit
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pit — in a race
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. club — for dancing
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. rest — a break

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