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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: lean · arm · track · pitcher · chair · branch · suit · can

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. chair — a leader
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. can — to be able to
  7. suit — to fit
  8. can — a tin
  9. lean — thin
  10. track — a path
  11. suit — clothes
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. lean — to bend
  14. branch — a division
  15. can — a tin
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. suit — in cards
  19. track — a song
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. lean — to rest against

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