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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. object — to protest
  4. bass — the fish
  5. object — an aim
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. cap — a hat
  10. stock — shares
  11. mine — for digging
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. mate — a friend
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. branch — a division
  17. stock — goods
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bass — low music
  20. object — a thing
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. cap — of ice
  24. branch — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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