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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: branch · rush · wave · rock · current · calf · jam · clip

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. current — of water
  7. rush — hurry
  8. clip — to cut
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. clip — a video
  12. current — electric
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. branch — a division
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. clip — for paper
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. current — happening now
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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