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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. track — a path
  5. branch — a division
  6. pit — in a race
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. club — for dancing
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. can — to be able to
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. dip — to sink
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. track — a song
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pit — a hole
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  24. can — a tin

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