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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 · hide · firm · wave · root · branch · rush · fall

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. root — of a word
  3. fall — the season
  4. root — the cause
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. firm — decided
  9. current — of water
  10. current — happening now
  11. firm — steady
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. fall — to drop
  16. root — of a plant
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. firm — a company
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. branch — a division
  22. current — electric
  23. rush — hurry
  24. branch — of a bank

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