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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
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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: chest · jam · present · cabinet · perch · firm · branch · pop

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. pop — soda
  4. firm — decided
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. firm — a company
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. present — the time now
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. present — a gift
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — of your body
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — to visit
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. chest — a box
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. firm — steady
  22. present — there
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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