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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 120 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bank — of a river
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. branch — a division
  7. track — a path
  8. last — finally
  9. track — to keep track
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. last — to go on
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bank — for money
  19. scale — in music
  20. last — final
  21. track — a song
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. branch — of a bank

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