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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bank — of a river
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bass — low music
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — a division
  12. mark — a trace
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mark — a grade
  16. wind — moving air
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bank — for money
  19. fall — the season
  20. bank — for money
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bass — the fish

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