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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 · track · land · board · stand · jam · tube · bound

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. board — to get on
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bound — obliged
  5. board — a committee
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. land — a country
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. branch — a division
  11. track — a path
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. land — to come down
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. tube — the underground
  19. land — ground
  20. bound — certain
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bound — tied together
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. tube — a container

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