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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: object · pass · jam · branch · sharp · tube · cap · squash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. object — an aim
  3. tube — the underground
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — a thing
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — a permit
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. squash — to crush
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. tube — a container
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. branch — a division
  22. sharp — clever
  23. squash — the sport
  24. branch — of a tree

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