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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: key · bass · mark · branch · spell · net · sharp · roll

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. mark — a grade
  3. net — after costs
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. roll — a list
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bass — the fish
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. spell — magic
  10. net — in sport
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. branch — a division
  14. key — the most important part
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. roll — a cake
  17. net — for catching
  18. spell — letters
  19. bass — low music
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — clever
  22. key — in music
  23. spell — a short time
  24. key — for a lock

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