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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 116 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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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: branch · dip · pit · racket · vault · clip · present · scale

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  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. scale — size or range
  3. scale — in music
  4. present — the time now
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. vault — a safe
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. present — there
  16. present — a gift
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. clip — a video
  19. pit — in a race
  20. clip — to cut
  21. branch — a division
  22. pit — a hole
  23. clip — for paper
  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