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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 · bark · cabinet · file · mark · roll · lie · branch

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bark — to shout
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. file — a line of people
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mark — a trace
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. roll — a list
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. track — a song
  14. lie — to recline
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. roll — a cake
  17. file — a tool
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. file — a document
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. track — a path

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