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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: content · mine · mate · degree · branch · pit · dip · mug

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pit — a hole
  5. mug — a face
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. mate — to breed
  9. degree — temperature
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — for digging
  12. branch — a division
  13. mug — a cup
  14. degree — an amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. pit — in a race
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. content — the amount
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. content — happy
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mug — to rob
  23. degree — from a university
  24. mate — a partner

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