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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: branch · jam · straw · safe · cabinet · chair · leaves · land

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. chair — a leader
  7. land — a country
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. branch — a division
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. land — to come down
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. land — ground
  24. cabinet — ministers

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