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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 116 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: swing · branch · pitch · bass · can · race · leaves · nail

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. race — a contest
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — music
  6. race — humankind
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. race — the arms race
  15. branch — a division
  16. swing — to play on
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bass — low music
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. can — a tin
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. can — a tin

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