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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 · track · rest · lash · wound · calf · nail · current

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a path
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. current — electric
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. current — happening now
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rest — what's left
  17. track — a song
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wound — an injury
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. current — of water
  22. wound — an injury
  23. branch — a division
  24. calf — a young animal

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