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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — music
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. prune — to trim
  11. band — a ring
  12. pop — soda
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. band — a music group
  16. prune — to trim
  17. branch — a division
  18. wave — a sudden rise

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