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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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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: chip · ball · jam · fan · cell · branch · mate · tear

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. tear — to rip
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mate — a friend
  13. tear — from crying
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. tear — from crying
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. cell — in biology
  18. mate — to breed
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. mate — a partner
  21. cell — a phone
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. ball — a great time
  24. branch — a division

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