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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · straw · root · pass · track · branch

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. root — of a plant
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. track — to keep track
  5. branch — a division
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. track — a song
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. root — of a word
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. pass — a permit
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. root — the cause
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. track — a path

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