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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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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: mine · current · mug · root · branch · calf · hand · key

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. key — for a lock
  3. current — of water
  4. hand — in cards
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. key — the most important part
  7. root — of a plant
  8. current — happening now
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. root — the cause
  12. mine — for digging
  13. branch — a division
  14. hand — help
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mug — to rob
  17. current — electric
  18. root — of a word
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mug — a face
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. key — in music
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. calf — a young animal

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