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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.

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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. branch — a division
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. current — happening now
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. snap — to click
  8. current — electric
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. track — a path
  12. land — to come down
  13. track — a song
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. land — a country
  18. current — of water
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. land — ground
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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