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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cue · cap · march · bear · racket · branch · plane · bass

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. branch — a division
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bear — the animal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bass — low music
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. march — the month
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. march — the month
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bass — the fish
  24. march — music

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