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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: track · coach · temple · pit · stick · fall · branch · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. pit — a hole
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. track — a song
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. track — to keep track
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — in a race
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. branch — a division
  20. foot — a measure
  21. fall — the season
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. track — a path
  24. fall — to drop

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