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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 124 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bass — low music
  7. bulb — for light
  8. branch — a division
  9. bulb — for light
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bound — certain
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. mate — to breed
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mate — a friend
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. toast — bread
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bank — for money
  24. bound — obliged

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