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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: dip · branch · squash · rule · jam · tube · race · bear

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. race — a contest
  5. rule — government
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. tube — the underground
  10. dip — to sink
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. race — the arms race
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. rule — a law
  16. race — humankind
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. branch — a division
  20. bear — the animal
  21. squash — the sport
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. squash — the vegetable

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