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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: can · fine · band · current · branch · wind · present · mark

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. current — happening now
  4. mark — a trace
  5. fine — high quality
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. can — a tin
  8. mark — a grade
  9. present — there
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. present — a gift
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. branch — a division
  15. band — a music group
  16. wind — moving air
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. present — the time now
  19. can — to be able to
  20. current — of water
  21. band — a ring
  22. can — a tin
  23. wind — moving air
  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