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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: content · suit · pass · land · current · branch · stick · leaves

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. content — the amount
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. current — electric
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. land — a country
  11. suit — in cards
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. current — of water
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. suit — to fit
  16. land — to come down
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. current — happening now
  19. land — ground
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pass — a permit
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. content — happy
  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