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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. track — a path
  6. face — to point toward
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. lean — thin
  12. face — part of the head
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bank — of a river
  15. face — to confront
  16. toast — bread
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. branch — a division
  20. track — to keep track
  21. lean — to bend
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. coach — a trainer

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