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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 · dip · safe · hand · fan · file · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. file — a tool
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. hand — help
  12. file — a line of people
  13. track — a song
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. branch — a division
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. file — a document
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hand — in cards
  21. track — a path
  22. track — to keep track
  23. dip — to sink
  24. safe — a strongbox

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