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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: branch · object · fan · jam · stick · cell · spring · clip

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. clip — to cut
  3. cell — a phone
  4. branch — a division
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. object — a thing
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. clip — a video
  14. object — to protest
  15. spring — of water
  16. object — an aim
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. clip — for paper
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. spring — a coil
  24. spring — the season

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