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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: game · branch · bass · lie · rock · cue · suit · file

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. suit — in cards
  3. file — a document
  4. suit — to fit
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. cue — a hint
  7. suit — clothes
  8. lie — to recline
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bass — low music
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bass — the fish
  18. file — a line of people
  19. game — a match
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. file — a tool
  22. game — wild animals
  23. rock — music
  24. cue — a signal

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