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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. capital — money
  3. current — electric
  4. face — to confront
  5. cap — a lid
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. face — to point toward
  10. present — there
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. present — a gift
  13. face — part of the head
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. current — of water
  16. branch — a division
  17. suit — to fit
  18. capital — a city
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cap — a hat
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. cap — of ice
  23. present — the time now
  24. current — happening now

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