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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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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 · deal · fall · board · object · cell · jam · trunk

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. deal — to handle
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. branch — a division
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. board — a committee
  11. cell — in biology
  12. board — to get on
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — a thing
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. cell — a phone
  18. fall — to drop
  19. object — an aim
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. jam — a tight spot

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