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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. tube — a container
  3. bank — of a river
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. degree — from a university
  9. degree — an amount
  10. row — a line
  11. bear — the animal
  12. current — electric
  13. bank — for money
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. row — to paddle
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. degree — temperature
  19. staff — employees
  20. bear — the animal
  21. current — happening now
  22. bank — for money
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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