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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: current · object · cue · branch · drill · temple · kid · game

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. object — to protest
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. cue — a hint
  8. game — a match
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. object — an aim
  12. cue — a signal
  13. current — electric
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. drill — the tool
  17. cue — for pool
  18. kid — child
  19. game — wild animals
  20. drill — a practice
  21. object — a thing
  22. kid — to tease
  23. drill — army training
  24. branch — a division

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