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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: mine · rest · leaves · jam · nail · cue · branch · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mine — for digging
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. rest — what's left
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. rest — a break
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. rest — what's left
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. can — to be able to
  20. cue — for pool
  21. branch — a division
  22. cue — a hint
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. jam — in traffic

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