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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: branch · roll · saw · cabinet · lie · firm · current · bark

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. firm — a company
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. firm — decided
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. roll — a cake
  12. lie — to recline
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bark — to shout
  17. current — of water
  18. branch — a division
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. roll — a list
  22. firm — steady
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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