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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · suit · fan · fork · ball · rash · mine

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. mine — an explosive
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. ball — a great time
  5. suit — to fit
  6. branch — a division
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mine — for digging
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. dip — to sink
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. fork — in a road
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. suit — in cards
  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