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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: bowl · track · saw · branch · staff · date · temple · current

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  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. track — to keep track
  2. saw — the tool
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. staff — a stick
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. branch — a division
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. current — of water
  13. staff — employees
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. staff — employees
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. date — the fruit
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. track — a path
  21. current — electric
  22. track — a song
  23. bowl — a football final
  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