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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pit — a hole
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. current — of water
  6. drill — army training
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. current — electric
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bat — the animal
  15. key — in music
  16. drill — a practice
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. drill — the tool
  20. current — happening now
  21. key — for a lock
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pit — in a race

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