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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: current · ball · present · branch · track · row · mark · key

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. track — to keep track
  3. row — to paddle
  4. ball — a great time
  5. present — the time now
  6. current — electric
  7. ball — a dance
  8. row — a line
  9. current — happening now
  10. mark — a grade
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. track — a path
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. key — in music
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. track — a song
  19. present — there
  20. current — of water
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. branch — a division
  23. present — a gift
  24. key — for a lock

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