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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: can · leaves · current · branch · wax · track · bear · rock

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rock — music
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wax — to grow
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. rock — a stone
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. can — a tin
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. current — happening now
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. track — a path
  15. branch — a division
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. track — a song
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. current — electric
  20. bear — the animal
  21. current — of water
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. can — a tin
  24. bear — the animal

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