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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 · kid · cabinet · chair · jam · bound · mark · firm

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. firm — a company
  6. chair — a leader
  7. firm — steady
  8. mark — a trace
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. branch — a division
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bound — certain
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bound — obliged
  15. mark — a grade
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bound — tied together
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. firm — decided
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. kid — to tease

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