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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pop — music
  4. object — to protest
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. saw — the tool
  7. dip — to sink
  8. object — a thing
  9. mug — a cup
  10. season — of the year
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pop — to visit
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. object — an aim
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. season — in sport
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mug — a face
  21. saw — the tool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. pop — soda
  24. cue — for pool

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