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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. plane — a tool
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. branch — a division
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bear — the animal
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mug — a face
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. board — to get on
  22. dip — to sink
  23. mug — to rob
  24. board — a committee

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