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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: rule · branch · rush · deal · mate · wave · scale · current

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. scale — in music
  5. mate — a friend
  6. current — happening now
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. rush — hurry
  11. current — of water
  12. rule — a law
  13. scale — size or range
  14. mate — a partner
  15. current — electric
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rule — government
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. mate — to breed
  24. rush — a thrill

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