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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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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: saw · net · leaves · cap · track · branch · shower · bank

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. cap — of ice
  4. track — a song
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. net — in sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bank — for money
  11. saw — the tool
  12. track — to keep track
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. shower — rain
  15. net — for catching
  16. track — a path
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. cap — a lid
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. shower — to wash
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bank — of a river
  23. net — after costs
  24. cap — a hat

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