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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 · prune · nail · staff · charge · pass · squash · branch

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. charge — a price
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. branch — a division
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. prune — to trim
  11. squash — the sport
  12. prune — to trim
  13. charge — in control
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. squash — to crush
  24. staff — employees

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