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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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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: bank · firm · fork · branch · staff · capital · track · bass

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. firm — steady
  4. track — to keep track
  5. capital — a city
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — a division
  8. staff — a stick
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. staff — employees
  11. bank — for money
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. fork — in a road
  14. capital — money
  15. firm — decided
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. track — a path
  19. track — a song
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — low music
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. firm — a company

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