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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. present — the time now
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. branch — a division
  6. wake — a trail
  7. object — an aim
  8. present — there
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. present — a gift
  11. object — to protest
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. deal — to handle
  18. track — to keep track
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. object — a thing
  21. toast — bread
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. track — a song
  24. track — a path

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