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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: capital · scale · fall · jam · present · branch · racket · dip

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. capital — money
  3. scale — size or range
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. present — a gift
  6. fall — to drop
  7. present — there
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. fall — the season
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. capital — a city
  13. scale — in music
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. present — the time now
  18. dip — to sink
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. branch — a division
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. fall — to drop

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