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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 116 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: mouse · pit · branch · bass · bound · racket · ground · stick

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pit — a hole
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — tied together
  8. ground — the earth
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. branch — a division
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bound — certain
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bass — the fish
  16. ground — a position
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. pit — in a race
  19. ground — crushed
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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