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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: march · dip · nail · cue · pit · race · branch · can

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. race — the arms race
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. cue — for pool
  5. race — humankind
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. march — the month
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. march — the month
  10. march — music
  11. race — a contest
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. can — a tin
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. cue — a signal
  16. dip — to sink
  17. can — a tin
  18. branch — a division
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. cue — a hint
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. branch — of a tree

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