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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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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: band · roll · ball · branch · suit · bank · dip · clip

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. roll — a list
  3. dip — to sink
  4. band — a music group
  5. clip — to cut
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bank — for money
  8. branch — a division
  9. bank — of a river
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bank — for money
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. suit — clothes
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. clip — for paper
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. band — a ring
  23. roll — a cake
  24. suit — in cards

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