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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · fine · ball · court · branch · date · wave · snap

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. snap — to click
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. court — of a king
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. court — for sport
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. fine — high quality
  10. ball — a great time
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. branch — a division
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. fine — all right
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. date — the fruit
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. court — of law

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