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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: can · drill · wound · roll · branch · racket · jam · race

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. can — to be able to
  3. drill — the tool
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. roll — a list
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. wound — an injury
  9. can — a tin
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. race — a contest
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. wound — an injury
  15. can — a tin
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. roll — a cake
  20. drill — a practice
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. drill — army training
  24. branch — a division

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