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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. rule — a law
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. current — of water
  8. bass — low music
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bass — the fish
  12. cue — a signal
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rule — government
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. current — happening now
  22. branch — a division
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rule — to rule out

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