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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: branch · content · fan · kick · dip · cue · mark · present

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — a signal
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. mark — a trace
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. present — a gift
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. dip — to sink
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. cue — for pool
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. present — there
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. content — happy
  19. kick — in football
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mark — a grade
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. present — the time now
  24. fan — to cool the air

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