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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 120 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: object · saw · deal · branch · fine · cell · bass · staff

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. saw — the tool
  6. deal — to handle
  7. object — a thing
  8. fine — all right
  9. staff — employees
  10. fine — high quality
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — a division
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bass — the fish
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cell — a phone
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. saw — the tool
  22. object — to protest
  23. bass — low music
  24. cell — in a prison

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