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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: fall · last · stand · rush · current · pass · branch · calf

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. last — final
  9. current — of water
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fall — the season
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. stand — to bear
  14. last — to go on
  15. pass — a permit
  16. branch — a division
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. fall — to drop
  24. branch — of a tree

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