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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: rule · branch · wave · pass · prune · current · spell · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. branch — a division
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. spell — magic
  5. prune — to trim
  6. current — electric
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rule — a law
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. current — of water
  14. prune — to trim
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. current — happening now
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. rule — government
  21. pass — a permit
  22. plane — a tool
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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