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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. mug — to rob
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. clip — a video
  8. prune — to trim
  9. branch — a division
  10. bass — low music
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. rock — music
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. clip — for paper
  15. mug — a cup
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. mug — a face
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. saw — the tool
  20. prune — to trim
  21. clip — to cut
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bass — the fish

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