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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 · trunk · roll · branch · bore · mug · plane · pitcher

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. track — a song
  3. track — a path
  4. roll — a cake
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mug — a cup
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. track — to keep track
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. branch — a division
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mug — a face
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. mug — to rob
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. roll — a list
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bore — to drill

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