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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 120 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: mark · branch · lean · dip · last · tube · hide · court

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. dip — to sink
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. tube — the underground
  7. last — to go on
  8. last — finally
  9. mark — a grade
  10. lean — to bend
  11. court — for sport
  12. tube — a container
  13. mark — a trace
  14. lean — thin
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. branch — a division
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — of law
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. last — final
  24. dip — to dunk

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