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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: wave · mark · object · bay · can · trunk · branch · track

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mark — a grade
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. can — a tin
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. track — a song
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. object — a thing
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. object — an aim
  17. branch — a division
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. track — a path
  20. track — to keep track
  21. object — to protest
  22. mark — a trace
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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