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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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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: last · ball · branch · club · wave · plane · mark · bass

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. last — to go on
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. last — finally
  5. bass — the fish
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bass — low music
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mark — a grade
  11. last — final
  12. club — for golf
  13. branch — a division
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. plane — a tool
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. ball — a great time
  20. club — a group
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. plane — in geometry

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