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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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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bank — of a river
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — the amount
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. content — happy
  10. branch — a division
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. scale — in music
  13. bank — for money
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. dip — to sink
  16. current — of water
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. current — electric
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. current — happening now
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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