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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. current — happening now
  3. staff — employees
  4. pitch — completely
  5. staff — employees
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. current — electric
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. fall — the season
  13. current — of water
  14. fall — to drop
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. staff — a stick
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fall — to drop

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