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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: snap · plane · arm · rock · sharp · branch · swing · bass

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. sharp — clever
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bass — the fish
  5. branch — a division
  6. plane — a tool
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. swing — to play on
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. swing — music
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rock — music
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rock — a stone
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to click

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