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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
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: can · bass · swing · branch · present · straw · cue · prune

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. cue — for pool
  5. present — a gift
  6. swing — music
  7. cue — a signal
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. present — the time now
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bass — the fish
  15. can — a tin
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. swing — in golf
  18. cue — a hint
  19. present — there
  20. prune — to trim
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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