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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 · pit · game · fork · snap · stock · branch · fine

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. stock — shares
  3. pit — in a race
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a match
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. fine — all right
  12. stock — goods
  13. branch — a division
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pit — a hole
  16. snap — to click
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. fork — in a road
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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