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

Word bank: stick · branch · current · arm · straw · deal · coach · jam

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. branch — a division
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. current — happening now
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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