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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: current · suit · mine · spring · branch · mark · charge · present

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. charge — electricity
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. spring — of water
  6. suit — to fit
  7. present — the time now
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. mark — a trace
  11. suit — clothes
  12. current — happening now
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. current — electric
  15. spring — the season
  16. mark — a grade
  17. branch — a division
  18. suit — in cards
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — for digging
  21. present — a gift
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. spring — a coil
  24. present — there

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