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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: spell · key · pass · stock · track · lean · chair · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. spell — a short time
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. spell — magic
  5. key — the most important part
  6. lean — to bend
  7. key — in music
  8. track — to keep track
  9. pass — a permit
  10. key — for a lock
  11. stock — goods
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. track — a path
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. lean — thin
  19. spell — letters
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. track — a song
  23. stock — shares
  24. branch — a division

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