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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. suit — in cards
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a line
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. can — a tin
  14. branch — a division
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. can — a tin
  17. wound — an injury
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. can — to be able to
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wound — an injury

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