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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: track · current · branch · bear · kick · patient · temple · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bear — the animal
  7. kick — in football
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. current — electric
  11. track — a song
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. track — to keep track
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. track — a path
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. current — happening now
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. branch — a division
  20. bear — the animal
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. current — of water

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