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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 120 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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. branch — a division
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. current — happening now
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. cap — a lid
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bank — for money
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. current — of water
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. kick — in football

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