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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: stem · branch · scale · leaves · current · rush · bear · coach

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. current — of water
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. stem — to come from
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — in music
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. current — happening now
  15. branch — a division
  16. scale — size or range
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. current — electric
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bear — the animal
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. stem — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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