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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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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 · rule · bear · cue · track · wave · lash · vault

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rule — government
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. track — a song
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. track — to keep track
  13. cue — a signal
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. cue — for pool
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — a safe
  18. cue — a hint
  19. branch — a division
  20. rule — a law
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. lash — an eyelash

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