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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: clip · bear · branch · date · pass · current · wave · toast

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. clip — a video
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bear — the animal
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. date — the fruit
  16. clip — to cut
  17. pass — a permit
  18. branch — a division
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. current — happening now
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. toast — bread

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