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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.

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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: lash · court · bass · rock · branch · rush · jam · trunk

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. court — for sport
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bass — low music
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. rock — music
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bass — the fish
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rock — a stone
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. court — of law
  21. branch — a division
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. court — of a king
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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