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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: cue · branch · safe · bay · spell · scale · dip · net

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. spell — a short time
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. dip — to sink
  10. cue — a hint
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. spell — magic
  13. net — in sport
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. spell — letters
  16. cue — for pool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. net — after costs
  19. scale — in music
  20. cue — a signal
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. branch — a division
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. net — for catching

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