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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. cue — a signal
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. cue — for pool
  6. branch — a division
  7. spell — a short time
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. roll — a list
  15. spell — letters
  16. dip — to sink
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. cue — a hint
  20. firm — decided
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. spell — magic
  23. firm — steady
  24. roll — a cake

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