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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 · bound · fan · board · cue · bass · toast · current

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. cue — a signal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. current — happening now
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. current — electric
  12. bass — the fish
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. current — of water
  16. bound — certain
  17. cue — for pool
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bound — obliged
  21. branch — a division
  22. bass — low music
  23. bound — tied together
  24. toast — bread

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