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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 116 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. squash — the sport
  3. branch — a division
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cap — a lid
  8. bass — the fish
  9. squash — to crush
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. cap — of ice
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bass — low music
  16. stand — to bear
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. scale — in music
  19. pass — a permit
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — size or range
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. branch — of a tree

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