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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: mine · bulb · branch · trunk · bass · cell · pitch · bark

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bass — the fish
  3. cell — a phone
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bass — low music
  6. branch — a division
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bark — to shout
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. cell — in biology
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bass — the instrument

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