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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: pitcher · rush · branch · current · club · leaves · mark · fall

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. current — of water
  4. club — for golf
  5. mark — a trace
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. fall — the season
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. fall — to drop
  11. rush — hurry
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. current — electric
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. club — for dancing
  20. mark — a grade
  21. club — a group
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. current — happening now

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