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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 · file · arm · tube · mug · root · branch · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. root — of a plant
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. branch — a division
  6. file — a tool
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. file — a document
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. file — a line of people
  13. mug — to rob
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mug — a cup
  17. tube — a container
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. root — the cause
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. mug — a face
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. root — of a word
  24. jam — in traffic

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