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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: racket · bank · bulb · branch · jam · swing · bass · wax

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. swing — music
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bass — low music
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bank — for money
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bass — the fish
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. branch — a division
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. bank — for money
  24. bulb — for light

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