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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: deal · spring · rock · rule · fork · perch · branch · current

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. spring — the season
  4. rule — government
  5. perch — the fish
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — music
  9. branch — a division
  10. current — of water
  11. deal — to handle
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. fork — in a road
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. spring — a coil
  20. current — electric
  21. rule — a law
  22. spring — of water
  23. rock — a stone
  24. current — happening now

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