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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: kid · squash · calf · current · bear · drill · cabinet · branch

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. drill — the tool
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. branch — a division
  6. current — of water
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — army training
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bear — the animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. current — happening now
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. kid — child
  19. kid — to tease
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. squash — the sport
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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