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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 116 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: present · track · current · branch · game · wave · pop · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. present — a gift
  3. pop — to visit
  4. track — a path
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pop — music
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. present — there
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. present — the time now
  12. bank — for money
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. branch — a division
  16. current — of water
  17. bank — for money
  18. game — wild animals
  19. track — a song
  20. current — electric
  21. pop — soda
  22. current — happening now
  23. game — a match
  24. track — to keep track

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