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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 120 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
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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: safe · branch · object · saw · band · wind · bass · temple

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wind — moving air
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. wind — moving air
  8. object — to protest
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. band — a music group
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bass — the fish
  19. band — a ring
  20. object — a thing
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. object — an aim
  23. bass — low music
  24. saw — the tool

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