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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 116 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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. charge — a price
  4. saw — the tool
  5. race — humankind
  6. row — a line
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. current — happening now
  9. charge — in control
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. tear — from crying
  12. current — of water
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. race — the arms race
  15. tear — to rip
  16. chip — for betting
  17. current — electric
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chip — to eat
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. tear — from crying
  22. race — a contest
  23. charge — electricity
  24. branch — a division

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