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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 116 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 · pound · branch · track · cue · calf · object · race

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. track — to keep track
  5. race — the arms race
  6. object — a thing
  7. cue — a hint
  8. track — a path
  9. race — a contest
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. branch — a division
  12. race — humankind
  13. track — a song
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. cue — for pool
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — to protest
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. mine — for digging
  24. cue — a signal

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