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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
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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: wave · bore · current · bear · rule · straw · branch · season

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bore — to drill
  3. season — of the year
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. current — of water
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. branch — a division
  13. rule — a law
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. current — electric
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. rule — government
  19. current — happening now
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. season — in sport
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. straw — dry grass

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