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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.

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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. fork — in a road
  6. season — in sport
  7. suit — in cards
  8. track — a path
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. season — of the year
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. suit — clothes
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. branch — a division
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. track — to keep track

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