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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. sharp — clever
  3. can — a tin
  4. suit — clothes
  5. branch — a division
  6. squash — the sport
  7. track — to keep track
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. track — a song
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. can — to be able to
  14. track — a path
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. suit — to fit
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. suit — in cards
  20. can — a tin
  21. dip — to sink
  22. squash — to crush
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. sharp — with an edge

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