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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. capital — a city
  5. can — a tin
  6. firm — decided
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. squash — to crush
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. branch — a division
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. capital — money
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. dip — to sink
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. ball — a great time
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. firm — a company
  24. ball — a dance

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