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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 116 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. current — of water
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. branch — a division
  6. current — electric
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. lie — to recline
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. current — happening now
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. fall — to drop
  24. branch — of a bank

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