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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: bulb · spring · can · board · branch · date · jam · mark

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. spring — of water
  3. spring — a coil
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. can — to be able to
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. can — a tin
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mark — a trace
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. can — a tin
  18. mark — a grade
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. spring — the season
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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