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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 120 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: arm · wave · track · hand · branch · mug · fine · spell

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. fine — all right
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. mug — a cup
  5. branch — a division
  6. mug — to rob
  7. fine — high quality
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. hand — in cards
  10. spell — a short time
  11. track — a path
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. spell — magic
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. spell — letters
  20. track — a song
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. track — to keep track
  23. mug — a face
  24. hand — help

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