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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: key · branch · track · scale · toast · rash · degree · leaves

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. track — to keep track
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. track — a song
  5. toast — bread
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. scale — size or range
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — hasty
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. degree — temperature
  13. degree — an amount
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. key — for a lock
  20. degree — from a university
  21. key — the most important part
  22. track — a path
  23. branch — a division
  24. key — in music

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