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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. squash — to crush
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. sharp — clever
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. dip — to sink
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rest — a break
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. rest — what's left
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. rest — what's left

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