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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: saw · sharp · track · ruler · game · branch · mark · cabinet

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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 path
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. track — to keep track
  10. mark — a trace
  11. game — a match
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. game — wild animals
  16. mark — a grade
  17. saw — the tool
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. track — a song
  20. branch — a division
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — with an edge

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