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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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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wake — a trail
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. current — electric
  6. lean — thin
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. current — of water
  10. perch — the fish
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. file — a line of people
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. current — happening now
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a document
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lean — to bend
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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