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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. mug — a cup
  4. current — happening now
  5. branch — a division
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. dip — to sink
  11. mug — to rob
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. march — the month
  14. wound — an injury
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. suit — in cards
  17. march — the month
  18. mug — a face
  19. suit — to fit
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. current — of water
  22. current — electric
  23. suit — clothes
  24. march — music

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