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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: dip · can · net · branch · lean · mark · nail · track

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. mark — a trace
  3. lean — thin
  4. track — a path
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. can — to be able to
  9. net — for catching
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. net — after costs
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. mark — a grade
  19. track — a song
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. net — in sport
  22. dip — to sink
  23. branch — a division
  24. track — to keep track

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