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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: chip · rule · present · bear · kick · branch · perch · jam

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — a gift
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. rule — a law
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. kick — in football
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. present — there
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bear — the animal
  16. branch — a division
  17. bear — the animal
  18. perch — the fish
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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