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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. firm — steady
  4. cap — a lid
  5. firm — decided
  6. current — electric
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. cap — a hat
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. current — of water
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — a price
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. current — happening now
  19. firm — a company
  20. branch — a division
  21. cap — of ice
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. bank — of a river

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