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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. chair — a leader
  5. ball — a great time
  6. current — of water
  7. current — electric
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rush — hurry
  11. ball — a dance
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. branch — a division
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. current — happening now
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bass — the instrument

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