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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: dip · saw · cabinet · track · stock · branch · wound · mate

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. track — a song
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — an injury
  6. branch — a division
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. mate — a partner
  9. saw — the tool
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stock — goods
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. stock — shares
  17. track — a path
  18. mate — to breed
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. track — to keep track
  22. mate — a friend
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. dip — to dunk

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