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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
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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: pound · roll · mouse · current · rest · lean · wake · branch

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. roll — a list
  3. rest — a break
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. lean — to bend
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wake — a trail
  10. pound — a weight
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. current — happening now
  15. roll — a cake
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. current — of water
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. lean — thin
  24. pound — to hit hard

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