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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. branch — a division
  4. track — a path
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. track — a song
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — a cup
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fine — all right
  18. mug — to rob

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