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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 120 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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. saw — the tool
  7. spell — letters
  8. court — for sport
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. court — of law
  11. spell — a short time
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. court — of a king
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. current — happening now
  17. mark — a trace
  18. current — of water
  19. spell — magic
  20. mark — a grade
  21. branch — a division
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. can — a tin
  24. current — electric

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