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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
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: mine · fan · wave · jam · cap · branch · leaves · pitch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. cap — a lid
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pitch — completely
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. branch — a division
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. cap — of ice
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. cap — a hat
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. fan — to cool the air

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