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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: current · cap · club · bowl · band · branch · track · file

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. club — for dancing
  7. track — a path
  8. club — a group
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. file — a line of people
  12. band — a music group
  13. file — a tool
  14. cap — a lid
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. current — electric
  17. club — for golf
  18. file — a document
  19. track — a song
  20. band — a ring
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. current — happening now
  23. branch — a division
  24. current — of water

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