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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. track — to keep track
  4. row — a line
  5. rock — music
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mark — a grade
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. fall — the season
  12. fall — to drop
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. row — to paddle
  18. branch — a division
  19. track — a song
  20. mark — a trace
  21. track — a path
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. arm — part of the body

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