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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 · stand · date · kick · track · mine · current · rock

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. track — a path
  3. kick — in football
  4. stand — to bear
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. branch — a division
  8. rock — a stone
  9. mine — for digging
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. date — the fruit
  13. current — of water
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. rock — music
  17. track — a song
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. track — to keep track
  21. current — electric
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. stand — on your feet

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