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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 116 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 · ball · pound · track · object · prune · branch

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. ball — a great time
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. track — a path
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. track — a song
  8. prune — to trim
  9. object — to protest
  10. pound — a weight
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. object — a thing
  14. branch — a division
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — to sink
  17. can — a tin
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. track — to keep track
  20. prune — to trim
  21. object — an aim
  22. ball — a dance
  23. can — a tin
  24. prune — the fruit

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