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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
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: branch · cell · stick · scale · charge · current · content · leaves

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. cell — a phone
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. current — happening now
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. cell — in biology
  19. content — happy
  20. content — the amount
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. charge — electricity
  24. leaves — to go away

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