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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 116 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: branch · stick · pass · firm · bass · mouse · hand · vault

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bass — the fish
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. firm — decided
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. firm — steady
  12. bass — low music
  13. branch — a division
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. firm — a company
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — a safe
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. hand — help
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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