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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mug · branch · dip · pitch · date · key · racket · rule

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mug — to rob
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. rule — government
  6. key — for a lock
  7. pitch — completely
  8. rule — a law
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. dip — to sink
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. mug — a face
  20. branch — a division
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. key — in music
  24. mug — a cup

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