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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.

Make a worksheet

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: jam · rock · court · stick · perch · suit · bass · branch

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. perch — the fish
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rock — music
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. court — of law
  12. bass — low music
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. court — of a king
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. rock — a stone
  18. court — for sport
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bass — the fish
  22. suit — in cards
  23. branch — a division
  24. perch — for a bird

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