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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 120 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: rock · content · race · bound · branch · stock · current · leaves

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bound — tied together
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. race — humankind
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. race — the arms race
  9. stock — shares
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. race — a contest
  12. content — happy
  13. stock — goods
  14. bound — obliged
  15. rock — music
  16. current — electric
  17. current — happening now
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. current — of water
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. content — the amount
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bound — certain
  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