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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: mine · nail · race · cue · branch · rock · calf · current

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. current — happening now
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. race — a contest
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mine — for digging
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. cue — a signal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. race — humankind
  12. current — of water
  13. rock — music
  14. branch — a division
  15. current — electric
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. race — the arms race
  19. cue — a hint
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. cue — for pool
  24. calf — a young animal

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