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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 120 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  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 — a division
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pop — music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bass — low music
  6. spring — of water
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pop — soda
  9. march — music
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — the season
  13. key — for a lock
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. cue — a signal
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. march — the month
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. cue — for pool
  21. key — in music
  22. pop — to visit
  23. march — the month
  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