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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · capital · branch · object · bass · current · plane · safe

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bass — the fish
  3. capital — money
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. plane — a tool
  6. spring — the season
  7. object — a thing
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bass — low music
  13. current — electric
  14. spring — a coil
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. branch — a division
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. object — an aim
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. capital — a city
  22. spring — of water
  23. current — happening now
  24. object — to protest

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