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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: bass · bowl · lash · snap · dip · root · branch · sharp

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. snap — to click
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. root — the cause
  14. bass — the fish
  15. root — of a plant
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. root — of a word
  22. bass — low music
  23. branch — a division
  24. bowl — to roll

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