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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: scale · mate · band · branch · can · firm · arm · current

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. branch — a division
  3. can — a tin
  4. mate — to breed
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. band — a music group
  10. firm — a company
  11. can — to be able to
  12. mate — a partner
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. firm — steady
  15. mate — a friend
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. firm — decided
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. can — a tin
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. current — happening now
  24. scale — for weighing

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