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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: jam · hand · pitcher · charge · bass · press · trunk · branch

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bass — the fish
  5. press — to push
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. press — a publisher
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. hand — help
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. branch — a division
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bass — low music
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. charge — a price

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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