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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · fine · jam · staff · club · nail · band · fork

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. club — for dancing
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. staff — employees
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. club — for golf
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a music group
  11. staff — employees
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. club — a group
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — a division
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. fork — in a road
  24. branch — of a bank

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