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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 116 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 · game · dip · firm · spell · shower · cue · leaves

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. game — a match
  8. branch — a division
  9. cue — a signal
  10. game — wild animals
  11. firm — decided
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — a short time
  14. firm — steady
  15. spell — letters
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. shower — to wash
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. shower — rain
  22. firm — a company
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a hint

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