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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wake — a trail
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. branch — a division
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. swing — music
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bear — the animal
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. swing — to play on
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. swing — in golf
  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