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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — a division
  5. bank — for money
  6. tube — a container
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — low music
  13. swing — music
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. swing — to play on
  19. squash — the sport
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bank — for money
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pass — a permit

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