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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: date · branch · track · saw · ruler · roll · cue · face

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. date — the fruit
  4. track — a song
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. cue — a hint
  7. face — part of the head
  8. track — to keep track
  9. roll — a cake
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. branch — a division
  15. track — a path
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — to confront
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. saw — the tool
  21. roll — a list
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. roll — on a roll

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