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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
468
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: fall · branch · stock · calf · snap · vault · track · current

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. track — to keep track
  3. current — electric
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. track — a song
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. branch — a division
  8. track — a path
  9. snap — to click
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. fall — to drop
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. current — happening now
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. vault — a safe
  20. fall — to drop
  21. stock — shares
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. fall — the season

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