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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 124 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. present — there
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. track — a song
  6. branch — a division
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. track — a path
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. present — the time now
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. mark — a trace
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. present — a gift
  24. track — to keep track

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