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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: branch · track · pitch · saw · row · object · suit · lean

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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. row — a quarrel
  4. suit — to fit
  5. object — a thing
  6. lean — to bend
  7. object — to protest
  8. saw — the tool
  9. row — to paddle
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. lean — thin
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. suit — in cards
  15. track — a song
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pitch — completely
  20. branch — a division
  21. object — an aim
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. row — a line

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