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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bass — the fish
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. land — a country
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. stem — to come from
  9. land — ground
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. season — of the year
  13. land — to come down
  14. season — in sport
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. branch — a division
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bass — low music

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