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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. current — of water
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. band — a music group
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. branch — a division
  11. row — a line
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. current — happening now
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. band — a ring
  21. current — electric
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — to paddle
  24. suit — to fit

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