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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 120 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: season · pass · squash · foot · track · wound · branch · bay

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. season — of the year
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. branch — a division
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. track — a song
  12. squash — the sport
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. track — a path
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pass — a permit
  23. squash — to crush
  24. foot — a measure

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