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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
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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: toast · wound · track · plane · ball · bank · branch · fork

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bank — of a river
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bank — for money
  7. fork — in a road
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — a tool
  11. wound — an injury
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — bread
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. wound — an injury
  16. track — a song
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. branch — a division
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bank — for money

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