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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 116 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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. wound — an injury
  11. mug — a cup
  12. branch — a division
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mug — to rob
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mug — a face
  19. track — a song
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wound — an injury

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