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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. ball — a dance
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. object — an aim
  10. toast — bread
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. dip — to sink
  13. stem — to come from
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. ball — a great time
  16. branch — a division
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — a thing
  24. stand — to bear

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