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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: squash · rush · stick · court · bay · chip · branch · dip

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. chip — to eat
  4. court — of law
  5. court — for sport
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. dip — to sink
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. court — of a king
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bay — a horse colour

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