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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bass — the fish
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bass — low music
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ball — a great time
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. current — electric
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. branch — a division
  19. current — happening now
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. current — of water
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fan — to cool the air

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