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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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. track — a song
  3. fork — in a road
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. row — a line
  6. craft — a skill
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — a safe
  9. rush — hurry
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — to paddle
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. fall — the season
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. branch — a division
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. craft — boats
  24. rush — to hurry

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