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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: object · club · jam · branch · dip · rock · deal · date

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. object — an aim
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. dip — to sink
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. object — a thing
  9. branch — a division
  10. club — a group
  11. rock — a stone
  12. club — for golf
  13. object — to protest
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. deal — to handle
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. date — the fruit
  18. club — for dancing
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. rock — music

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