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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: track · arm · date · calf · bass · bay · branch · mark

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. track — a song
  4. track — a path
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. mark — a trace
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mark — a grade
  21. branch — a division
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. track — to keep track
  24. arm — part of the body

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