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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. scale — size or range
  3. rash — a series
  4. pop — soda
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. branch — a division
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. mug — to rob
  12. track — a path
  13. pop — music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rash — hasty
  17. mug — a face
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. scale — in music
  22. pop — to visit
  23. track — a song
  24. dip — to sink

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