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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.

Make a worksheet

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: branch · spell · lash · mate · wake · track · bay · march

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. wake — a trail
  4. track — a song
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — letters
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. track — to keep track
  18. mate — to breed
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mate — a friend
  22. spell — a short time
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. track — a path

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