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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: branch · mine · current · bear · racket · lash · nail · ball

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. branch — a division
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. current — of water
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mine — for digging
  10. current — happening now
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. current — electric
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mine — an explosive

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