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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 · branch · pound · rash · ball · kid · pit · object

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. branch — a division
  6. object — an aim
  7. kid — to tease
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — a weight
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. pit — in a race
  13. ball — a dance
  14. object — to protest
  15. kid — child
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. object — a thing
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. rash — a series
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pit — a hole
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. rash — hasty

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