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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. race — a contest
  3. pound — a weight
  4. current — happening now
  5. spell — a short time
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. object — an aim
  8. race — the arms race
  9. spell — letters
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. current — electric
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. branch — a division
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. field — farmland
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. field — a subject
  21. current — of water
  22. spell — magic
  23. field — for sport
  24. race — humankind

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