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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bank — for money
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fall — to drop
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. fine — high quality
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. snap — to click
  12. date — the fruit
  13. pop — soda
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. branch — a division
  16. pop — music
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. fall — the season
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bank — of a river
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. fine — all right
  24. fall — to drop

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