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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. pitch — completely
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. current — of water
  5. key — the most important part
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. craft — a skill
  8. cap — of ice
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. land — ground
  11. current — electric
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. current — happening now
  15. branch — a division
  16. mate — a friend
  17. land — a country
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mate — to breed
  20. craft — boats
  21. mate — a partner
  22. key — in music
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — a lid

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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