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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 · ruler · key · can · band · wind · hand · current

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. current — of water
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. can — a tin
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. band — a music group
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. wind — moving air
  9. band — a ring
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. wind — moving air
  12. key — for a lock
  13. current — happening now
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. key — the most important part
  16. hand — help
  17. key — in music
  18. can — a tin
  19. current — electric
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. can — to be able to
  23. hand — in cards
  24. branch — a division

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