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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bear · safe · bat · snap · lean · branch · mug

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. branch — a division
  3. track — to keep track
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. snap — to click
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. track — a path
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. track — a song
  14. bat — the animal
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bear — the animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. mug — a face
  24. lean — thin

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