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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. firm — decided
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. fall — to drop
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. staff — employees
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. dip — to sink
  10. staff — employees
  11. firm — steady
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. mark — a trace
  17. firm — a company
  18. branch — a division
  19. mark — a grade
  20. staff — a stick
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. arm — a part of something

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