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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: suit · club · court · bowl · tube · staff · branch · cue

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. suit — in cards
  3. branch — a division
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. suit — clothes
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. court — of a king
  11. cue — for pool
  12. suit — to fit
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — for dancing
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. cue — a signal
  18. club — a group
  19. court — of law
  20. staff — employees
  21. tube — the underground
  22. court — for sport
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. staff — a stick

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