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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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mug — a cup
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rest — a break
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. track — a path
  13. rest — what's left
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rest — what's left
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. track — a song
  20. mug — a face
  21. pass — a permit
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. branch — a division
  24. hide — animal skin

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