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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: race · cue · ground · charge · branch · club · calf · trunk

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. charge — electricity
  3. cue — for pool
  4. branch — a division
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. club — for golf
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — a position
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ground — crushed
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cue — a hint
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. race — the arms race
  16. club — for dancing
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — in control
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cue — a signal
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — humankind

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