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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: pass · toast · branch · bass · board · pound · band · craft

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. craft — boats
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pass — a permit
  10. band — a music group
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. board — a committee
  13. band — a ring
  14. branch — a division
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. board — to get on
  20. pound — a weight
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — bread
  24. board — a flat piece

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