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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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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: toast · stick · fine · branch · racket · prune · snap · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. branch — a division
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bass — low music
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. fine — high quality
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. prune — to trim
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. fine — all right
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. snap — to click
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. prune — to trim
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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