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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: branch · track · bear · spell · toast · plane · mark · cell

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. branch — a division
  5. track — a song
  6. bear — the animal
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mark — a grade
  10. toast — bread
  11. spell — magic
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. cell — a phone
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bear — the animal
  17. spell — letters
  18. track — to keep track
  19. mark — a trace
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. track — a path
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. cell — in biology
  24. plane — an aircraft

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