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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 120 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: march · dip · branch · shower · race · firm · suit · game

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. race — a contest
  3. march — the month
  4. suit — clothes
  5. game — a match
  6. suit — in cards
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to sink
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. suit — to fit
  14. game — wild animals
  15. shower — to wash
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. race — the arms race
  19. march — music
  20. race — humankind
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. firm — a company
  23. march — the month
  24. dip — to dunk

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