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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 120 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: ball · dip · charge · branch · band · chest · bass · ruler

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. band — a music group
  8. ball — a dance
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. branch — a division
  11. chest — of your body
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. dip — to sink
  14. charge — electricity
  15. chest — of your body
  16. charge — in control
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. chest — a box
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. charge — a price
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. band — a ring
  24. ball — a great time

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