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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a document
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. branch — a division
  7. mug — a cup
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. present — there
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mug — to rob
  14. net — in sport
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. file — a tool
  17. present — the time now
  18. net — after costs
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. net — for catching
  23. present — a gift
  24. mug — a face

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