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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 116 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: dip · track · bear · rule · chair · saw · nail · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. saw — the tool
  5. track — to keep track
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. track — a path
  11. rule — government
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rule — a law
  14. saw — the tool
  15. branch — a division
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. track — a song
  21. bear — the animal
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. dip — to sink

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