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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: tear · jam · lean · track · branch · key · rock · ball

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. key — for a lock
  4. ball — a great time
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. tear — from crying
  7. lean — thin
  8. track — a song
  9. rock — a stone
  10. branch — a division
  11. track — a path
  12. rock — music
  13. key — the most important part
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. tear — from crying
  19. key — in music
  20. ball — a dance
  21. tear — to rip
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. lean — to bend
  24. track — to keep track

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