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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. current — of water
  3. row — to paddle
  4. spell — letters
  5. vault — a safe
  6. content — the amount
  7. charge — in control
  8. spell — magic
  9. branch — a division
  10. spell — a short time
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. current — electric
  13. row — a line
  14. current — happening now
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. spring — of water
  17. charge — a price
  18. spring — the season
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. charge — electricity
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — happy

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