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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: fine · branch · stem · stick · bass · bark · date · rock

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. rock — a stone
  3. stem — to come from
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bass — low music
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bark — to shout
  8. branch — a division
  9. fine — all right
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. rock — music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. date — the fruit
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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