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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 · drill · pitcher · leaves · branch · content · toast · object

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. drill — army training
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. track — to keep track
  8. drill — the tool
  9. content — the amount
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. drill — a practice
  12. branch — a division
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — an aim
  15. content — happy
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. track — a song
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. toast — bread
  23. track — a path
  24. object — a thing

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