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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. firm — steady
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rest — what's left
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. branch — a division
  7. scale — size or range
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. rest — what's left
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. firm — a company
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. prune — to trim
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. firm — decided
  21. dip — to sink
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. rest — a break
  24. prune — to trim

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