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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 · pass · file · calf · ruler · branch · chair · bark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. track — to keep track
  5. file — a tool
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. file — a line of people
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. file — a document
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. branch — a division
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. chair — a leader
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. bark — to shout
  21. track — a song
  22. pass — a permit
  23. track — a path
  24. branch — of a bank

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