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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: file · branch · chair · board · firm · pound · bass · bulb

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. bulb — for light
  5. board — a committee
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. file — a line of people
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. chair — a leader
  11. board — to get on
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bass — low music
  14. file — a document
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bass — the fish
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. firm — steady
  24. file — a tool

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