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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: pop · jam · cabinet · bowl · clip · branch

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. pop — to visit
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. pop — soda
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. clip — for paper
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. pop — music
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. clip — a video
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. clip — to cut

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