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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 116 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. rock — music
  3. current — of water
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. season — in sport
  7. deal — to handle
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. content — the amount
  11. rock — a stone
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. season — of the year
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — a division
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. current — happening now
  21. content — happy
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. current — electric

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