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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: mark · current · fork · arm · cap · mate · land · branch

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. branch — a division
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mate — a partner
  7. cap — of ice
  8. mate — a friend
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. cap — a hat
  11. current — electric
  12. cap — a lid
  13. mark — a trace
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. land — ground
  19. land — a country
  20. fork — in a road
  21. land — to come down
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mark — a grade

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