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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. lean — thin
  4. scale — in music
  5. present — there
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. roll — a list
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bass — the fish
  13. present — a gift
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. present — the time now
  16. lean — to bend
  17. branch — a division
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bass — low music
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. scale — size or range
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. roll — a cake

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