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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: cabinet · branch · current · stem · fine · rush · face · ground

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. ground — the earth
  3. fine — high quality
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fine — all right
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. current — of water
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. face — part of the head
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. ground — a position
  13. branch — a division
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. current — happening now
  16. ground — crushed
  17. stem — to come from
  18. face — to confront
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. face — to point toward
  22. current — electric
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cabinet — ministers

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