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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bass — the fish
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. perch — the fish
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. club — for golf
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. club — for dancing
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. club — a group
  21. content — happy
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. content — the amount
  24. calf — a young animal

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