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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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468
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: rush · deal · branch · current · spring · fine · patient · wave

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. spring — the season
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. current — happening now
  5. spring — a coil
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. current — electric
  10. spring — of water
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fine — all right
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. branch — a division
  18. rush — hurry
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. deal — to handle
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. fine — high quality
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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