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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 · cabinet · pop · rush · mine · jam · pitch · stand

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. pitch — completely
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. branch — a division
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. mine — for digging
  19. pop — music
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pop — soda
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. pop — to visit

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