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

Word bank: cell · mark · stick · branch · jam · fall · land · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. land — ground
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. cell — in biology
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fall — to drop
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. land — to come down
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. land — a country
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mark — a grade
  19. fall — the season
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. cell — a phone
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. branch — a division
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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