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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 116 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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. cap — of ice
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. row — a line
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rock — music
  8. current — electric
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — music
  11. cap — a hat
  12. swing — to play on
  13. current — happening now
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. current — of water
  17. fine — high quality
  18. row — to paddle
  19. board — to get on
  20. cap — a lid
  21. fine — all right
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — to move gently

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