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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 · firm · branch · pitcher · stock · rush · nail · jam

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. ground — crushed
  7. firm — a company
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ground — a position
  12. firm — decided
  13. ground — the earth
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stock — goods
  18. firm — steady
  19. branch — a division
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. rush — hurry
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. nail — on a finger

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