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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bank — for money
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stock — goods
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. suit — to fit
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — in sport
  14. bank — of a river
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. net — for catching
  17. stock — shares
  18. bass — the fish
  19. suit — clothes
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. branch — a division
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bank — for money

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