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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: branch · jam · deal · mug · mouse · rash · safe · clip

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. clip — to cut
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. clip — a video
  8. mug — to rob
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. mug — a face
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. clip — for paper
  14. rash — hasty
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rash — a series
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. branch — a division
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. deal — to handle
  24. safe — a strongbox

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