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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: branch · suit · roll · nail · current · tube · field · spring

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. tube — a container
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. current — of water
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. suit — to fit
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. field — a subject
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. spring — of water
  13. field — farmland
  14. branch — a division
  15. suit — in cards
  16. current — happening now
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — a cake
  19. field — for sport
  20. suit — clothes
  21. spring — the season
  22. current — electric
  23. spring — a coil
  24. tube — in a tire

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