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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. date — the fruit
  12. kick — in football
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. track — a path
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. branch — a division
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. mouse — the animal

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