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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. suit — clothes
  4. spring — of water
  5. pitch — completely
  6. band — a music group
  7. suit — in cards
  8. spring — the season
  9. track — a song
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. band — a ring
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. spring — a coil
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. track — a path
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. suit — to fit
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. track — to keep track

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