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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: jam · cap · game · branch · cell · fork · pitch · mouse

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cell — in biology
  5. game — a match
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. branch — a division
  10. pitch — completely
  11. fork — in a road
  12. cap — of ice
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. cap — a hat
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. cell — a phone
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. cap — a lid
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. cell — in a prison

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