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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: branch · leaves · cap · mine · jam · row · firm · rule

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. row — to paddle
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — a company
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. branch — a division
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. cap — a lid
  10. rule — government
  11. row — a line
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. cap — a hat
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. cap — of ice
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. rule — a law
  21. mine — for digging
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — belonging to me

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