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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. current — happening now
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. current — electric
  9. rash — a series
  10. current — of water
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. lean — to bend
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. season — of the year
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lean — thin
  23. season — in sport
  24. rash — on the skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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