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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: branch · toast · pit · bank · plane · clip · dip · date

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. clip — a video
  3. clip — to cut
  4. branch — a division
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. clip — for paper
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bank — of a river
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bank — for money
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pit — a hole
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bank — for money
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. toast — bread
  24. branch — of a tree

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