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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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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: bank · wake · track · drill · stand · rush · branch · roll

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. branch — a division
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bank — for money
  8. stand — to bear
  9. drill — the tool
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. drill — army training
  12. roll — a cake
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. rush — hurry
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. roll — a list
  20. track — a song
  21. bank — for money
  22. wake — a trail
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. roll — on a roll

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