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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. current — electric
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. land — ground
  6. current — of water
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. cue — a signal
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. cue — a hint
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. fine — all right
  16. land — to come down
  17. current — happening now
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. branch — a division
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. snap — to click
  22. bulb — for light
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. land — a country

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