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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
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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: capital · fan · rush · wave · bulb · fine · current · branch

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bulb — for light
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. current — happening now
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rush — hurry
  7. capital — a city
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. current — of water
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. fine — high quality
  16. capital — money
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. branch — a division
  22. current — electric
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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