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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: squash · mark · fall · branch · mouse · track · spell · toast

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. spell — a short time
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mark — a grade
  8. branch — a division
  9. spell — letters
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. spell — magic
  12. toast — bread
  13. squash — to crush
  14. mark — a trace
  15. track — a song
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. fall — the season
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. track — a path
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. squash — the sport

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