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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: foot · bark · wave · branch · bass · land · key · stand

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. key — for a lock
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bass — the fish
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. branch — a division
  11. land — a country
  12. key — the most important part
  13. land — ground
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bass — low music
  17. stand — to bear
  18. key — in music
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. wave — of the sea

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