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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. degree — temperature
  5. mug — to rob
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bore — to drill
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mug — a face
  12. band — a ring
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. branch — a division
  15. bore — to tire
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. degree — from a university
  20. band — a music group
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. degree — an amount
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bore — gave birth

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