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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. dip — to sink
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. cue — for pool
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. band — a ring
  11. bass — low music
  12. sharp — clever
  13. cue — a hint
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. suit — in cards
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cue — a signal
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. suit — clothes

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