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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · branch · trunk · bank · racket · race · track · key

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. track — to keep track
  5. race — the arms race
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bank — for money
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. track — a song
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. branch — a division
  16. key — in music
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bank — of a river
  20. track — a path
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. race — a contest
  23. bank — for money
  24. race — humankind

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