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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: pitcher · chest · can · dip · date · branch · arm · safe

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. dip — to sink
  3. can — a tin
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. chest — of your body
  12. can — to be able to
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. can — a tin
  15. chest — of your body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. branch — a division
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. chest — a box
  24. safe — out of danger

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