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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: bound · fine · bass · tear · branch · date · mark · pitch

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bound — obliged
  3. branch — a division
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. date — the fruit
  6. pitch — completely
  7. mark — a grade
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. tear — to rip
  10. tear — from crying
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fine — high quality
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bass — low music
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bound — certain
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. fine — all right
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bound — tied together

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