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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 120 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: march · branch · saw · track · capital · dip · firm · fine

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. march — the month
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. firm — steady
  8. fine — all right
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. march — music
  11. branch — a division
  12. track — a song
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. firm — a company
  15. saw — the tool
  16. track — to keep track
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. fine — high quality
  19. march — the month
  20. capital — money
  21. firm — decided
  22. capital — a city
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. track — a path

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