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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. dip — to sink
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. ball — a great time
  20. branch — a division
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. pass — a permit

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