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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: sharp · bass · bulb · mine · suit · track · mark · branch

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. track — a song
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bass — the fish
  6. suit — clothes
  7. track — to keep track
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bass — low music
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. suit — to fit
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. track — a path
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bulb — for light
  23. branch — a division
  24. mark — a trace

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