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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: lean · bass · stand · club · branch · pit · nail · board

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pit — in a race
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. club — for golf
  8. bass — low music
  9. board — to get on
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pit — a hole
  12. club — for dancing
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. board — a committee
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lean — thin
  20. club — a group
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. lean — to bend
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bass — the fish

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