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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.

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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 · bear · spell · branch · wake · rule · season · pass

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. season — of the year
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — in sport
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. rule — a law
  14. current — of water
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. spell — a short time
  17. wake — a trail
  18. rule — government
  19. spell — letters
  20. current — electric
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. spell — magic
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pass — to succeed

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