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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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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: net · mark · drill · ruler · cue · kid · branch · jam

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. drill — army training
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. cue — a hint
  6. drill — a practice
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. net — for catching
  9. cue — a signal
  10. net — in sport
  11. kid — to tease
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. mark — a trace
  15. kid — child
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. drill — the tool
  19. mark — a grade
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. net — after costs
  22. cue — for pool
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. branch — a division

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