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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: branch · capital · deal · court · bowl · lie · suit · bass

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. deal — to handle
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bass — the fish
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. court — for sport
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bass — low music
  12. branch — a division
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. capital — a city
  16. court — of a king
  17. lie — to recline
  18. capital — money
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. suit — clothes
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. court — of law
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. lie — an untruth

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