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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. dip — to sink
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. deal — to handle
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. straw — a straw man

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