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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
468
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: wind · bass · chip · bank · branch · jam · cabinet · fan

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bass — low music
  4. branch — a division
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bank — of a river
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bank — for money
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. bank — for money
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. chip — in a computer

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