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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 120 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: branch · ruler · chip · can · ball · squash · bowl · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. can — a tin
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. can — to be able to
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. branch — a division
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bass — low music
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. squash — the sport
  14. ball — a great time
  15. squash — to crush
  16. chip — to eat
  17. can — a tin
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. chip — for betting
  24. ball — a round shape

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