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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: kick · dip · branch · pop · stem · pass · spring · pitch

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. pop — to visit
  4. spring — a coil
  5. spring — the season
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pitch — completely
  9. kick — in football
  10. spring — of water
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. pass — a permit
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pop — music
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. branch — a division
  23. pop — soda
  24. pitch — a sports field

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