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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: key · wake · rock · branch · plane · current · racket · pop

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. wake — a trail
  5. current — of water
  6. branch — a division
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. current — electric
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rock — a stone
  13. current — happening now
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — to visit
  16. key — the most important part
  17. plane — a tool
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. key — in music
  21. pop — soda
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rock — music

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