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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: firm · dip · jam · kick · capital · branch · board · wave

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. kick — in football
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. board — a committee
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. capital — a city
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. capital — money
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. dip — to sink
  22. branch — a division
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. board — to get on

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