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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: track · craft · board · racket · pass · branch · sharp · lie

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. sharp — clever
  6. track — to keep track
  7. craft — boats
  8. board — a committee
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. track — a path
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. track — a song
  14. pass — a permit
  15. branch — a division
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. craft — a skill
  18. board — to get on
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. racket — for tennis

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