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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 cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. march — the month
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. track — a song
  5. branch — a division
  6. staff — employees
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. track — to keep track
  10. staff — employees
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. staff — a stick
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. dip — to sink
  15. march — the month
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. march — music
  20. track — a path
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — a law
  24. roll — a cake

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