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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bound — certain
  4. dip — to sink
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rock — music
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bound — tied together
  19. mug — to rob
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. rock — a stone
  23. game — a match
  24. bound — obliged

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