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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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · file · staff · wave · wind · net · can · branch

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. can — a tin
  3. wind — moving air
  4. staff — employees
  5. wind — moving air
  6. can — to be able to
  7. net — in sport
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. staff — employees
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. staff — a stick
  12. can — a tin
  13. net — after costs
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — a division
  16. file — a document
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. file — a tool
  19. content — the amount
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. net — for catching

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