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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. file — a tool
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bass — the fish
  11. file — a document
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. spell — magic
  16. snap — to click
  17. spell — a short time
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. branch — a division
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. mug — a cup
  22. spell — letters
  23. mug — a face
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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