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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: saw · fine · bulb · roll · jam · content · branch · charge

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. content — happy
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. saw — the tool
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. saw — the tool
  9. charge — in control
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. charge — electricity
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bulb — for light
  14. roll — a list
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. charge — a price
  17. roll — a cake
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — high quality
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. content — the amount

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