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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: rest · bass · degree · branch · key · swing · nail · bay

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bass — low music
  4. degree — an amount
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. swing — music
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. degree — temperature
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. swing — in golf
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — the fish
  16. degree — from a university
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. key — the most important part
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rest — a break
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rest — what's left
  24. key — in 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