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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: current · stand · spring · object · branch · coach · mouse · bank

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bank — for money
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. stand — to bear
  5. spring — of water
  6. current — electric
  7. branch — a division
  8. bank — of a river
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. object — a thing
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. current — happening now
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. object — to protest
  17. spring — a coil
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. spring — the season
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. current — of water
  23. object — an aim
  24. bank — for money

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