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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: dip · bank · cabinet · mouse · pop · branch · wave · jam

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. branch — a division
  6. pop — to visit
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pop — soda
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. pop — music
  18. bank — for money
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bank — for money

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