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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: root · pass · mark · bulb · branch · bay · cap · bass

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. pass — a permit
  3. branch — a division
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cap — a hat
  10. mark — a trace
  11. root — the cause
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. cap — a lid
  18. root — of a plant
  19. mark — a grade
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. root — of a word
  24. bass — low 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