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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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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: bay · branch · bound · swing · cap · firm · fine · bass

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. branch — a division
  7. swing — music
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bound — certain
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. swing — in golf
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. cap — of ice
  17. firm — decided
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — a lid

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