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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: branch · press · cell · fine · wake · key · jam · cap

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. press — to push
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. branch — a division
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cell — in biology
  8. fine — all right
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. press — a publisher
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. fine — high quality
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cell — a phone
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. press — newspapers
  21. wake — a trail
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cap — of ice

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