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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.

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: fork · dip · squash · present · rash · branch · toast · game

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. game — wild animals
  3. squash — to crush
  4. present — a gift
  5. game — a match
  6. present — the time now
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. toast — bread
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. fork — in a road
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. squash — the sport
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. present — there
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. rash — a series
  21. branch — a division
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. rash — hasty

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