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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: cell · deal · dip · branch · rush · racket · squash · spring

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. spring — the season
  11. dip — to sink
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cell — a phone
  14. deal — to handle
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cell — in biology
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. spring — of water
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rush — hurry
  23. spring — a coil
  24. squash — the sport

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