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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — a phone
  4. firm — a company
  5. branch — a division
  6. firm — steady
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. ground — a position
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. rock — music
  15. ground — the earth
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. ground — crushed
  20. roll — a cake
  21. rock — a stone
  22. firm — decided
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. roll — a list

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