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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 · rock · deal · wave · fine · bound · file · jam

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. file — a tool
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — high quality
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. rock — a stone
  8. file — a document
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. branch — a division
  12. deal — to handle
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bound — certain
  15. file — a line of people
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bound — tied together
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bound — obliged
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. rock — music
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. wave — of the sea

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