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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: band · wave · branch · key · cabinet · temple · face · bass

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — the fish
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. key — for a lock
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bass — low music
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. face — to confront
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. band — a ring
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to point toward
  22. band — a music group
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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