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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: jam · content · board · branch · stick · saw · rock · season

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. branch — a division
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — in sport
  8. board — to get on
  9. saw — the tool
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — a committee
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. content — happy
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. content — the amount
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. rock — music
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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