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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: fork · pass · bass · branch · mouse · toast · coach · bear

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bear — the animal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bass — low music
  7. fork — in a road
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. branch — a division
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bass — the fish
  22. toast — bread
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bass — the instrument

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