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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: branch · wake · lean · calf · ball · track · kick · hide

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. track — a path
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. ball — a dance
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. ball — a great time
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. track — to keep track
  14. lean — to bend
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. branch — a division
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — a trail
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. track — a song
  22. lean — thin
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. hide — to keep secret

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