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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: cell · fan · squash · jam · wind · pass · firm · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cell — a phone
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. firm — steady
  8. cell — in biology
  9. squash — to crush
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. wind — moving air
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pass — a permit
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. firm — a company
  17. branch — a division
  18. firm — decided
  19. wind — moving air
  20. squash — the sport
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. fan — a supporter

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