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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: prune · dip · branch · suit · present · wave · cold · current

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. prune — to trim
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. suit — in cards
  6. prune — to trim
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. cold — an illness
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. present — there
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. present — the time now
  13. branch — a division
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. present — a gift
  21. current — happening now
  22. cold — not warm
  23. dip — to sink
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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