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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: coach · ball · dip · bank · kid · branch · sharp · current

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. current — electric
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. current — of water
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. current — happening now
  12. bank — of a river
  13. sharp — clever
  14. branch — a division
  15. bank — for money
  16. kid — child
  17. ball — a dance
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. ball — a great time
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bank — for money
  24. kid — to tease

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