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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. file — a tool
  4. current — electric
  5. rock — a stone
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rock — music
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. current — happening now
  10. file — a line of people
  11. sharp — clever
  12. file — a document
  13. current — of water
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bound — obliged
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bound — tied together
  20. branch — a division
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bound — certain

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