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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 116 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: dip · pitch · content · current · branch · mark · rush · wind

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mark — a grade
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. content — the amount
  8. wind — moving air
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. dip — to sink
  13. current — happening now
  14. mark — a trace
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — completely
  18. rush — hurry
  19. branch — a division
  20. content — happy
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. mark — to pay attention

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