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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 · lie · fan · jam · tube · mark · pass · bulb

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pass — a permit
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. tube — the underground
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mark — a grade
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mark — a trace
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. tube — a container
  24. branch — a division

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