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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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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: cabinet · racket · rash · pitch · rule · bound · jam · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bound — obliged
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rule — a law
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. rule — government
  13. bound — certain
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. rash — a series
  17. bound — tied together
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rash — hasty
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. branch — a division
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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