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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — a division
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. suit — to fit
  8. drill — a practice
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. kick — in football
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. prune — to trim
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. drill — army training
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. suit — clothes
  18. dip — to sink
  19. suit — in cards
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. drill — the tool
  24. kick — with a leg

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