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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · leaves · kid · dip · mine · branch · mark · craft

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. craft — a skill
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mine — for digging
  5. kid — child
  6. mark — a grade
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. kid — to tease
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. branch — a division
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. craft — boats
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. coach — a trainer

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