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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tear — from crying
  3. board — a committee
  4. branch — a division
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. charge — a price
  7. firm — a company
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. firm — steady
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. charge — electricity
  14. tube — a container
  15. tear — from crying
  16. firm — decided
  17. scale — size or range
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. charge — in control
  20. scale — in music
  21. board — to get on
  22. tear — to rip
  23. current — of water
  24. tube — in a tire

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