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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: chair · club · bulb · ball · bore · present · branch · chest

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. present — a gift
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. present — there
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — a group
  9. bulb — for light
  10. branch — a division
  11. bulb — for light
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. ball — a dance
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. club — for golf
  18. bore — to tire
  19. ball — a great time
  20. present — the time now
  21. chest — a box
  22. bore — to drill
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chest — of your body

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