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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 116 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fork — in a road
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. branch — a division
  11. mug — a face
  12. drill — the tool
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. drill — army training
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. drill — a practice
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. vault — a safe
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bear — the animal

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