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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 116 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: rash · ball · current · branch · mark · spring · stick · wave

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. spring — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. mark — a grade
  9. current — electric
  10. rash — a series
  11. mark — a trace
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rash — hasty
  15. branch — a division
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. ball — a great time
  18. spring — the season
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. current — of water
  22. spring — a coil
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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