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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: mug · branch · dip · saw · pound · nail · fan · pit

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. saw — the tool
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pit — a hole
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. saw — the tool
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mug — to rob
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. pound — a weight
  15. mug — a face
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pit — in a race
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — a division
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. nail — for a hammer

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