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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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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: tube · track · safe · nail · bank · branch · spell · squash

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tube — a container
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. tube — the underground
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bank — for money
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bank — of a river
  12. track — a song
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. track — a path
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. spell — letters
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bank — for money
  19. branch — a division
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — a short time
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the sport

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