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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 120 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. chest — a box
  5. chest — of your body
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. club — a group
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chest — of your body
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. club — for golf
  12. net — for catching
  13. club — for dancing
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. net — after costs
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. net — in sport
  23. wound — an injury
  24. branch — a division

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