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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 116 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: band · fine · wave · current · branch · board · trunk · cabinet

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. fine — high quality
  10. current — happening now
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. band — a ring
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. fine — all right
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. current — of water
  22. band — a music group
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. cabinet — ministers

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