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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  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 — a division
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. land — to come down
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bass — low music
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — in football
  8. land — a country
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. squash — to crush
  11. land — ground
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bank — for money
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bank — of a river
  17. stand — to bear
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bank — for money
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bass — the instrument
  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