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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ball — a dance
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bass — the fish
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — a measure
  22. branch — a division
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rule — government

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