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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: sharp · branch · firm · dip · mine · stock · cap · season

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. firm — steady
  4. dip — to sink
  5. season — of the year
  6. season — in sport
  7. mine — for digging
  8. branch — a division
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. cap — a hat
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. stock — goods
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. cap — of ice
  19. firm — a company
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. stock — shares
  22. cap — a lid
  23. firm — decided
  24. sharp — clever

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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