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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: jam · bank · present · bass · club · wind · deal · branch

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. club — a group
  3. branch — a division
  4. wind — moving air
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bank — of a river
  8. present — there
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. bank — for money
  14. club — for golf
  15. bank — for money
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bass — low music
  20. present — the time now
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. wind — moving air
  23. deal — to handle
  24. club — for dancing

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