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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: branch · pass · saw · spring · ball · suit · club · bass

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bass — the fish
  4. spring — a coil
  5. club — a group
  6. spring — of water
  7. club — for dancing
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. suit — to fit
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pass — a permit
  15. club — for golf
  16. spring — the season
  17. saw — the tool
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a great time
  22. branch — a division
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — to succeed

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