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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. ball — a dance
  4. foot — a measure
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. roll — a list
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. ball — a great time
  11. fine — high quality
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bass — low music
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. fine — all right
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. roll — a cake
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bass — the fish
  21. branch — a division
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. foot — the bottom

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