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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: fine · bank · current · racket · track · band · scale · branch

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. current — of water
  3. bank — for money
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. track — a song
  9. bank — for money
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. track — to keep track
  12. scale — in music
  13. band — a music group
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. fine — all right
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. band — a ring
  18. current — happening now
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. fine — high quality
  21. branch — a division
  22. track — a path
  23. bank — of a river
  24. current — electric

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