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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.

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: branch · straw · stand · chip · jam · mouse · nail · wake

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. branch — a division
  3. wake — a trail
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. stand — to bear
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. chip — to eat
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. chip — for betting
  24. mouse — the animal

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