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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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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: board · branch · swing · bay · dip · ruler · snap · clip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. board — to get on
  6. swing — to play on
  7. branch — a division
  8. clip — to cut
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. clip — a video
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. board — a committee
  18. swing — music
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. snap — to click
  21. swing — in golf
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. clip — for paper

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