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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: pit · leaves · cap · branch · fork · deal · content · current

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. pit — a hole
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. pit — in a race
  6. current — happening now
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. branch — a division
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. content — the amount
  13. cap — a lid
  14. fork — in a road
  15. current — electric
  16. content — happy
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. cap — of ice
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. cap — a hat
  21. deal — to handle
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. current — of water

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