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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: craft · dip · branch · spring · stock · can · mug · cue

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. cue — for pool
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cue — a signal
  5. mug — a cup
  6. can — a tin
  7. spring — the season
  8. mug — a face
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. branch — a division
  12. craft — boats
  13. stock — goods
  14. cue — a hint
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. mug — to rob
  17. dip — to sink
  18. can — a tin
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. spring — a coil
  21. can — to be able to
  22. stock — shares
  23. spring — of water
  24. craft — a skill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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