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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 120 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: bowl · fall · branch · press · staff · suit · bass · wax

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. wax — to grow
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bass — low music
  5. staff — a stick
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bass — the fish
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. suit — in cards
  11. branch — a division
  12. staff — employees
  13. fall — the season
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. fall — to drop
  19. press — to push
  20. staff — employees
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. press — newspapers
  24. branch — of a tree

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