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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: bound · jam · branch · kid · deal · firm · toast · game

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bound — tied together
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a match
  9. firm — decided
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — a company
  14. kid — child
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. kid — to tease
  17. deal — to handle
  18. branch — a division
  19. toast — bread
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — obliged
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. jam — a tight spot

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