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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: current · branch · suit · coach · band · fall · bowl · ball

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. band — a ring
  5. ball — a dance
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fall — the season
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a music group
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. fall — to drop
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. current — happening now
  20. fall — to drop
  21. current — electric
  22. ball — a great time
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. branch — a division

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