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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — a stone
  5. net — in sport
  6. branch — a division
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. date — the fruit
  10. roll — a list
  11. last — to go on
  12. net — for catching
  13. roll — a cake
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. last — final
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. rock — music
  20. last — finally
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. net — after costs
  24. dip — to sink

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