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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
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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 · jam · bank · fork · mouse · mate · hand · rock

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. branch — a division
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bank — for money
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fork — in a road
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bank — for money
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bank — of a river
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. hand — help
  24. rock — to move gently

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