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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: sharp · net · shower · mark · branch · bowl · object · bass

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. object — to protest
  4. bass — the fish
  5. mark — a trace
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. shower — to wash
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. shower — rain
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bass — low music
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. object — a thing
  15. net — after costs
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. net — in sport
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. net — for catching
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — clever
  22. branch — a division
  23. object — an aim
  24. mark — a grade

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