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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: bark · safe · cue · branch · pass · stick · hand · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. hand — in cards
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. cue — a signal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pass — a permit
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cue — a hint
  15. hand — help
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. cue — for pool
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. branch — a division
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. branch — of a bank

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