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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
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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: current · track · branch · fine · mug · bark · suit · capital

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bark — to shout
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. track — a song
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. capital — money
  14. current — electric
  15. capital — a city
  16. track — a path
  17. suit — to fit
  18. current — happening now
  19. track — to keep track
  20. mug — a face
  21. fine — high quality
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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