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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. prune — to trim
  4. club — a group
  5. branch — a division
  6. mine — for digging
  7. current — of water
  8. scale — in music
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. current — happening now
  12. club — for dancing
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. charge — in control
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. scale — size or range
  17. charge — a price
  18. club — for golf
  19. current — electric
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. charge — electricity

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