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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. ground — the earth
  13. bass — low music
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. rock — music
  17. stem — to come from
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. chair — a leader
  20. ground — crushed
  21. branch — a division
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bass — the fish
  24. ground — a position

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