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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · bulb · temple · branch · arm · straw · dip · fork

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. fine — all right
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bulb — for light
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. branch — a division
  18. bulb — for light
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bulb — of a plant

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