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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 · lash · cue · current · branch · mouse · rule · band

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. track — a song
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. current — electric
  7. current — happening now
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. rule — government
  10. current — of water
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a ring
  16. cue — a signal
  17. track — a path
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. cue — a hint
  20. branch — a division
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. rule — a law
  24. cue — for pool

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