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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: date · branch · race · saw · drill · track · face · pass

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. saw — the tool
  3. drill — a practice
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. race — humankind
  8. drill — army training
  9. date — the fruit
  10. race — the arms race
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. saw — the tool
  14. track — to keep track
  15. branch — a division
  16. track — a song
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — a permit
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. drill — the tool
  22. track — a path
  23. face — to confront
  24. race — a contest

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