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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
468
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: branch · leaves · kick · track · drill · craft · stick · content

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. craft — boats
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. drill — army training
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. track — a song
  10. drill — the tool
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. kick — in football
  13. content — happy
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. craft — a skill
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. drill — a practice
  20. branch — a division
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. track — to keep track
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. content — the amount

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