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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: vault · chip · jam · foot · suit · pass · branch · wind

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wind — moving air
  5. suit — to fit
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. foot — a measure
  12. suit — clothes
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. vault — a safe
  15. branch — a division
  16. chip — to eat
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. wind — moving air
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. chip — for betting

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