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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 120 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: branch · mouse · ruler · track · can · foot · bat · press

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a path
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. foot — a measure
  7. can — a tin
  8. branch — a division
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. press — to push
  11. bat — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. can — a tin
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. press — newspapers
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. press — a publisher
  18. track — a song
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mouse — the animal

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