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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. dip — to sink
  3. current — electric
  4. branch — a division
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. plane — a tool
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. spell — a short time
  16. current — happening now
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — magic
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. current — of water

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