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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. degree — temperature
  6. current — happening now
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. rush — hurry
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. current — of water
  11. degree — an amount
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. branch — a division
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. snap — to click
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a hole
  19. current — electric
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. degree — from a university
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. wave — with your hand

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