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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bass — low music
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bass — the fish
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bound — tied together
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bank — for money
  14. ground — crushed
  15. bank — for money
  16. ground — a position
  17. branch — a division
  18. bound — certain
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. ball — a great time
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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