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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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Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. key — for a lock
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — after costs
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. can — to be able to
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to sink
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. net — for catching
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. key — the most important part
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. key — in music
  19. can — a tin
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. can — a tin
  24. coach — a trainer

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