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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: straw · branch · cap · tube · stick · calf · ball · current

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. ball — a dance
  5. cap — a hat
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ball — a great time
  14. current — of water
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. current — electric
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. cap — a lid
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. tube — the underground
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. current — happening now

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