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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: branch · sharp · bank · pitcher · clip · charge · jam · saw

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. branch — a division
  3. saw — the tool
  4. clip — a video
  5. charge — a price
  6. clip — for paper
  7. bank — for money
  8. saw — the tool
  9. sharp — clever
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. clip — to cut
  12. charge — in control
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bank — for money
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. charge — electricity
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pitcher — a jug

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