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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. current — of water
  5. current — happening now
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bank — for money
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. branch — a division
  13. wound — an injury
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. current — electric
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. game — a match
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bank — for money
  24. fan — to cool the air

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