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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mug — a cup
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pitch — completely
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. mug — a face
  15. season — in sport
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bulb — for light
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. season — of the year
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bulb — for light
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  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