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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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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: mug · foot · branch · wound · can · season · racket · bass

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bass — low music
  3. wound — an injury
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. can — a tin
  10. mug — a cup
  11. can — to be able to
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bass — the fish
  14. season — in sport
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. mug — to rob
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. branch — a division
  22. can — a tin
  23. foot — a measure
  24. mug — a face

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