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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 120 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
468
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: wake · bear · branch · bound · snap · leaves · pit · current

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pit — a hole
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — in a race
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. bound — certain
  9. snap — to click
  10. bound — obliged
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — a trail
  19. current — happening now
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bear — the animal
  23. branch — a division
  24. bound — tied together

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