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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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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: current · cabinet · branch · bound · pound · firm · season · lean

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. branch — a division
  3. current — happening now
  4. season — in sport
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bound — certain
  7. season — of the year
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bound — obliged
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. current — of water
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — to bend
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. pound — a weight
  17. lean — thin
  18. firm — decided
  19. bound — tied together
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. firm — steady
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. current — electric

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