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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  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 bank
  2. scale — size or range
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. current — electric
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. lie — to recline
  10. net — in sport
  11. current — of water
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cue — for pool
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. net — for catching
  17. cue — a hint
  18. scale — in music
  19. net — after costs
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. cue — a signal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. branch — a division
  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