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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: fine · branch · leaves · object · cell · jam · arm · bay

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. object — an aim
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. cell — a phone
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. object — to protest
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. cell — in biology
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. object — a thing
  19. fine — all right
  20. branch — a division
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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