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

Word bank: kid · firm · pass · branch · track · pop

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pop — music
  4. track — to keep track
  5. firm — steady
  6. track — a path
  7. firm — a company
  8. track — a song
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. firm — decided
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. kid — to tease
  13. branch — a division
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. kid — child
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. branch — of a bank

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