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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · branch · foot · wind · pitcher · pass · cold · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. track — a song
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wind — moving air
  11. cold — not warm
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. cold — an illness
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a path
  19. foot — a measure
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wind — moving air
  23. branch — a division
  24. foot — the bottom

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