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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: dip · branch · field · cabinet · spell · pass · racket · perch

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. field — farmland
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. field — for sport
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. branch — a division
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. perch — the fish
  15. field — a subject
  16. spell — magic
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. dip — to sink
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — a short time

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