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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: branch · ground · bear · jam · dip · sharp · kid · suit

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. suit — to fit
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. suit — clothes
  6. kid — child
  7. branch — a division
  8. suit — in cards
  9. ground — a position
  10. kid — to tease
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to sink
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bear — the animal
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. sharp — clever
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bear — the animal
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. ground — crushed

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