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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: face · ruler · fork · ball · branch · prune · pop · current

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. pop — soda
  6. face — to point toward
  7. current — electric
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ball — a dance
  11. face — part of the head
  12. fork — in a road
  13. current — of water
  14. prune — to trim
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — music
  20. face — to confront
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ball — a great time

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