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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. branch — a division
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bank — of a river
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pit — in a race
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. plane — a tool
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. snap — to click
  19. bank — for money
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bass — low music
  22. bank — for money
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. pit — a hole

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