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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 · branch · game · plane · wake · stem · mug · bay

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. mug — a cup
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. plane — a tool
  10. branch — a division
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. game — wild animals
  14. track — a path
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. game — a match
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. mug — to rob
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. wake — a trail

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