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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: ground · cabinet · pound · mark · jam · saw · branch · pit

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. pit — a hole
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. pound — a weight
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ground — crushed
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. mark — a grade
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pit — in a race
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. ground — a position
  24. mark — a trace

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