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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. current — electric
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. ball — a dance
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. ball — a great time
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. key — the most important part
  13. current — happening now
  14. snap — to click
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. current — of water
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. ball — a round shape
  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