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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
468
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 · bat · jam · board · face · bay · calf · cabinet

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. board — to get on
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. face — to confront
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bat — the animal
  16. board — a committee
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. branch — a division
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — part of the head

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