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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · pit · bowl · board · mug · current · band · rule

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. rule — government
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. branch — a division
  6. pit — in a race
  7. band — a ring
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. current — happening now
  10. mug — a face
  11. board — to get on
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. pit — a hole
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. current — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — a committee
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a cup
  22. rule — a law
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. band — a rubber band

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