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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. stock — shares
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. charge — in control
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. dip — to sink
  11. branch — a division
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — a trail
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. snap — to click
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. stock — goods
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. ball — a dance
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. ball — a great time

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