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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: capital · branch · perch · key · bass · bear · face · pass

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bass — the fish
  4. pass — a permit
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bear — the animal
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. key — the most important part
  12. capital — money
  13. bass — low music
  14. key — in music
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — to confront
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. key — for a lock
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. capital — a city
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. perch — for a bird

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