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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: tube · hide · mine · roll · sharp · bulb · bass · branch

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. roll — a cake
  3. roll — a list
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. branch — a division
  7. tube — the underground
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. sharp — clever
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bass — low music
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mine — for digging
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bulb — for light
  17. tube — a container
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bass — the fish
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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