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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. branch — a division
  4. rash — hasty
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — a container
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. hand — in cards
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. track — a song
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. tube — the underground
  20. rash — a series
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. track — a path
  24. hand — help

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