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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: dip · branch · snap · spell · cue · arm · cabinet · pitch

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — a short time
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. cue — for pool
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. dip — to sink
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. snap — to click
  16. branch — a division
  17. cue — a signal
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cue — a hint
  24. arm — a part of something

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