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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: track · board · pitch · calf · key · toast · branch · current

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. current — electric
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. key — in music
  7. current — of water
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. board — to get on
  10. track — a song
  11. key — for a lock
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. track — to keep track
  15. key — the most important part
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. branch — a division
  19. board — a committee
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. track — a path
  23. current — happening now
  24. toast — bread

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