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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. club — for golf
  4. current — electric
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. net — for catching
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. net — after costs
  13. current — of water
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. club — for dancing
  16. branch — a division
  17. pass — a permit
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. net — in sport
  20. current — happening now
  21. row — a line
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. row — to paddle
  24. club — a group

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