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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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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bank — for money
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bass — low music
  6. bank — for money
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. branch — a division
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bank — of a river
  11. net — after costs
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. net — for catching
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. net — in sport
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rash — a series
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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