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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: track · stick · fan · nail · bass · branch · mark · bear

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. bass — the fish
  3. mark — a trace
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. track — a song
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mark — a grade
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — low music
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bear — the animal
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. branch — a division

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