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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 · lean · bore · land · current · mate · fan · jam

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. current — electric
  4. land — a country
  5. current — of water
  6. branch — a division
  7. land — ground
  8. mate — a friend
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. mate — a partner
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. lean — thin
  14. current — happening now
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mate — to breed
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bore — to drill
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. land — to come down

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