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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.

Make a worksheet

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: branch · mine · current · bass · sharp · swing · rush · bowl

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bass — the fish
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. current — happening now
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. branch — a division
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. mine — for digging
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. swing — music
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bass — low music
  24. bowl — a dish

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