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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: jam · cabinet · trunk · branch · lie · charge · wind · bowl

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  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. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. charge — a price
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. branch — a division
  17. charge — electricity
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. charge — in control
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. wind — moving air
  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