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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — a division
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. last — to go on
  6. shower — rain
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. current — of water
  9. last — finally
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. suit — clothes
  15. shower — to wash
  16. last — final
  17. stand — to bear
  18. suit — in cards
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — after costs
  24. suit — to fit

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