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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: deal · branch · pit · suit · board · game · rest · jam

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. board — a committee
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. game — a match
  7. rest — what's left
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. rest — what's left
  11. board — to get on
  12. suit — to fit
  13. branch — a division
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rest — a break
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. pit — in a race
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. game — wild animals
  24. deal — to handle

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