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

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. current — of water
  4. dip — to sink
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. current — electric
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. cue — a hint
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. cue — for pool
  14. branch — a division
  15. row — to paddle
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. row — a line
  18. current — happening now
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. cue — a signal
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. row — a quarrel

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