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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. march — the month
  3. spell — letters
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. spell — a short time
  7. mark — a grade
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. spell — magic
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. march — music
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — a division
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. track — a song
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. mark — a trace
  23. track — a path
  24. march — the month

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