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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: stand · straw · branch · jam · bay · nail · wound · ground

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. ground — a position
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. wound — an injury
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ground — crushed
  14. wound — an injury
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. branch — a division
  17. ground — the earth
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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