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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. can — to be able to
  7. cap — a lid
  8. branch — a division
  9. race — a contest
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. current — happening now
  12. key — the most important part
  13. race — the arms race
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pop — to visit
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a hat
  20. current — electric
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — soda
  23. current — of water
  24. race — humankind

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