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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: can · track · patient · pop · arm · mate · branch · board

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pop — music
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pop — to visit
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pop — soda
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. board — a committee
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. mate — to breed
  20. can — a tin
  21. mate — a friend
  22. board — to get on
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mate — a partner

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