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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 120 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: pass · branch · mate · stand · ball · chest · ruler · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. chest — of your body
  3. mate — a partner
  4. chest — of your body
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stand — to bear
  9. branch — a division
  10. mate — a friend
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. club — for dancing
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ball — a dance
  17. club — a group
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. ball — a great time
  20. chest — a box
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. mate — to breed
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. branch — of a bank

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