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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: ruler · track · can · branch · fan · spring · current · arm

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. can — a tin
  3. current — of water
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. current — happening now
  9. track — to keep track
  10. branch — a division
  11. track — a song
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. can — a tin
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. spring — a coil
  17. track — a path
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. can — to be able to
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — the season
  24. arm — part of the body

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