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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: branch · straw · toast · dip · sharp · rush · bank · foot

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. branch — a division
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. toast — bread
  11. dip — to sink
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rush — hurry
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bank — for money
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. foot — a measure

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