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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rock — a stone
  6. ground — crushed
  7. current — electric
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. ground — the earth
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rush — hurry
  19. branch — a division
  20. squash — the sport
  21. current — of water
  22. ground — a position
  23. current — happening now
  24. squash — to crush

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